Love is Strange
by xXAngelic ScarsXx
Summary: Obi-Wan ponders Satine's confession of love, and this is the aftermath that follows. Takes place after "Duchess of Mandalore". (Vague smut included).
1. I Have Loved You

I've recently started watching Star Wars: The Clone Wars and not too long ago (like a week ago? A few days? Idk) I got to the episode where they introduce Satine and now I ship Obitine so hard and absolutely had to write a canon divergent story! Because I'm currently working on other things, I'm keeping this a oneshot (for now) but have plans to maybe expand this? I'm not too sure yet. All I know is a really enjoyed writing this, and ended up accidently writing vague smut.

* * *

 _Obi-Wan... it looks like I may never see you again. I don't know quite how to say this, but I've loved you from the moment you came to my aid, all those years ago._

The words kept echoing in his brain ever since Obi-Wan had heard them. They were words he'd longed to hear for many years, and -though he didn't want to admit it- he'd never been happier than when he'd heard them. However, the words that had brought him so much joy also had brought him so much turmoil. He knew what he needed to do: just forget about those words, and return to his normal life as a Jedi and a General. This was far more easily said than done.

At one point it had crossed his mind to go ask advice, but it all seemed pointless. Any of the other Master's would just rattle off their spiel about attachments being forbidden. He considered even talking to Anakin about the matter, but felt that would be a bad idea. Though he couldn't prove it, he sensed a relationship between the boy and Senator Amidala. He'd known of Anakin's fondness the Senator before he was sent to guard her on Naboo several years ago, and had ample reason to believe things has progressed beyond an infatuation during those times.

He chuckled to himself. That was exactly why he didn't want Anakin going on that mission in the first place, though he could have never admitted that to the Council. So _sure_ of that decision, they were. His judgement was one that they should have trusted. Anakin and Padmé's relationship could have been easily avoided, but no. They seemed to have a gift for sending Padawan's on missions to fall in love.

Oh _kriff!_ Did he really just think love? It couldn't have been love, not that he even really knew what that kind of love was. He'd spent the greater part of his life denying he felt love, or hate, or… anything really. It was the life of a Jedi; the life he'd invested so much of himself to. Really, he must have been jumping to conclusions, thinking of this "love" business.

Yet, deep down he knew that was what it was. If it weren't, he wouldn't have been willing to leave the Order for her. He wouldn't have spent so much time wishing she had asked him to. He wouldn't have felt his heart pound every time he was near her, even after all those years has passed. Even so, how was he supposed to get over this… "love"? Was such a thing even possible? If it were, wouldn't he have been over her by now?

He sighed, running his hands through his hair. He flopped on his uncomfortable bed. Not forming attachments was an impossible feat. Letting go was something he thought he'd done well, but that obviously wasn't true. He had never managed to let go of Satine, even though he thought he had long ago. If he was being honest with himself, there were others he couldn't let go… Qui-Gon, Anakin… even Padmé, Ahsoka, Cody, and Rex. Though he scolded Anakin for his easily observable attachment to Ahsoka, in reality he was no better.

Maybe it would have been simpler had he not given into any of his temptations as a Padawan. He smiled, touching his lips as he remembered their first kiss. He carried her to safety from the swarm of venom-mites… he dropped her, and then panicked about doing so until she sassed him. As he picked her back up, his face got so close to hers and he just couldn't help himself; he _had_ to kiss her.

Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately depending on how you looked at it, that was the catalyst that began their physical relationship. A blush crept up the Jedi Master's cheeks as he remembered their first time in a cave, where they knew they'd be alone for hours. It began innocently enough, with Satine insisting she was cold as an excuse for the pair to cuddle, which led to a few chaste kisses, which somehow spiraled to them fumbling to get each other's clothes off, followed by Satine's back pressed up against a cave wall as he made love to her. He'd sworn to himself that would never happen again, that he'd never lose himself like that, yet it happened again… and again… and again… and again, more times than he could even count. The time that they knew would be their last time was the most memorable yet. It was the only time they'd had access to a bed and little potential of getting caught or attacked. They had all night to express themselves to each other, and all night they took, making love time after time until the wee hours of the morning.

Okay, he really needed to stop thinking about that. He couldn't afford to allow his blood supply to rush anywhere other than his head; he needed it so he could use his best judgement, and his blood rushing to that particular region would definitely cloud his thoughts. He got off of his bed, trying to think of _anything_ else. It was yet another thing that was easier said than done. He wracked his brain, trying to remember what he did when he had this problem as a teenager, and then headed to his small, personal 'fresher for a cold shower.

* * *

 _Satine wants to meet you for dinner._

Not long after his shower, Anakin came to deliver that message for him. Apparently, Satine had intended to ask Obi-Wan to join her herself, but she attempted to communicate with him sometime during his attempt to expel the blood from his nether regions. So instead, she asked his former Padawan to relay the message. As if his confusion weren't bad enough, the last thing he needed was to be quizzed by the curious Knight.

Though he expertly avoided directly answering any of the questions Anakin asked him in regards to his and Satine's past, he knew that same vagueness gave away so much. Anakin was very perceptive, at least when it came to his old Master. Anakin's probing was forcing Obi-Wan to really contemplate his relationship with the Duchess, and regrettably making him realize what he really wanted. He would still leave the Order in a heartbeat if she asked.

He didn't know if he did or didn't want her to ask…

"You still love her, don't you?"

Obi-Wan was taken aback by this question. No one had ever even entertained the notion that he was capable of feeling that complex emotion, and yet there was Anakin seeing right through him. He knew, yet again, that his silence was giving more away than if he'd actually spoken. Force, why did his feelings for that woman make him to unbearably awkward? How did she manage to turn a full-grown man would could handle the rage of war to a twitterpated mess?

"You don't have to answer me, Obi-Wan." Of course he didn't. Anakin was no fool. He knew full well how Obi-Wan felt about Satine. He made his way to the door, wanting to leave Obi-Wan to think, but not before leaving some parting words: "It's what we don't do that we regret in life."

Was… was Anakin giving him his blessing to have a relationship with Satine? Before Anakin hit the button to open the door and leave Obi-Wan's living space, he had to ask. He had to know. The words left his mouth before he could even think about them: "How do you handle it?"

Anakin visibly tensed, his Force shields coming up in full capacity. He wasn't completely certain, but he had an inkling of what the Jedi Master was referring to. He wasn't willing to admit such a thing, though. "I have no idea what you're talking about. How do I handle what?"

Obi-Wan didn't want to press the issue. There was already do much confusion flowing through him. He didn't need to open up this discussion that would inevitably further complicate his life. "Nothing. Just forget I said anything."

Anakin quickly exited Obi-Wan's quarters, not wanting to give the man the opportunity to change his mind and decide to discuss his relationship with a Senator.

* * *

Obi-Wan didn't know that Satine had a little apartment in Coruscant. Obi-Wan also didn't count on that being the place that they were going to eat dinner. Obi-Wan especially wasn't prepared for the fact that they were going to be eating dinner alone. _Completely_ alone. Not even any sort of guard was in her apartment. She'd sent them away, saying Obi-Wan was the only protection she needed.

So there they were, sitting at a small circular table. Satine was actually in casual attire, while Obi-Wan was in his usual Jedi clothes (as if he had other clothes). They were both sipping on some wine and talking about anything and everything, except what they really wanted to talk about. Were the words spoken between then on the ship just out of fear that at least one of them were going to die, or were those words they'd always longed to speak? The romantic tension in the air that was so thick you could cut it with a lightsaber.

After the dinner, Satine excused herself to clear the table and go get the desserts she'd had prepared earlier. Obi-Wan, being the gentlemen that he was, offered to help. She graciously declined, insisting that he was her guest and was to be treated as such. Unfortunately, that left Kenobi in her dining room. Alone. With nothing but his thoughts.

He knew she was leaving in the morning for Mandalore. He knew he might not be able to see her for a while, if he ever saw her again. What was there really to say, though? He knew she once loved him, and he hinted to her that he felt the same. That was years ago and there was no chance she still felt the same way.

But if she didn't, why did she bring it up? What would he even do with the information if it was confirmed that she still loved him? He was a _Jedi_ , for Force's sake! He was taught to not give into these feelings. He was taught to never have these feelings in the first place! If she still loved him, so what? What would come from that?

Thankfully, Satine returned with two small plates in tow, announcing that white-chocolate cupcakes were to be had. As she set a plate down in front of the Jedi, she noticed that he was a bit… off, even more than he'd been before. She frowned.

"Obi? Is everything alright?"

"I'm fine." His answer came a little too quickly, further raising the Duchess's suspicions that something was the matter.

She sat down, this time next to him instead of across from him. She was determined to find out what was going on. "We've been friends far too long for us to be lying to each other."

Obi-Wan's throat felt dry, his body visibly tense. He couldn't believe this. He'd slain thousands, if not billions, of droids without so much as breaking a sweat. He'd engaged Sith Lords, fought zombies, prevented a plague from destroying a planet, and almost died on numerous occasions. He could handle almost anything, but the thing that got to him, the thing that made even the Great Negotiator nervous, was a small, pacifist woman that he could probably carry with one arm.

He didn't know much about this "love" business, but he knew he didn't like how it made him feel.

"Obi…" Satine grabbed his hand that was lying on the table, a friendly gesture to try to calm his nerves. Or, was it meant to mean more?

Obi-Wan, having been avoiding fully looking at her this whole time, finally met her eyes with his. She was so beautiful. She had the kind of beauty and grace people wrote songs about. It wasn't only that. She was so incredibly strong, maybe not physically but in every other way. He admired how she stood by her convictions, even though it went against the history of her people, and even though it caused them to butt heads at times. He wouldn't have been so drawn to her had she been the type to stand down.

Which, in this case, was unfortunate, because the look in her eyes told him that she wasn't going to drop the issue.

"I've just been thinking…" he trailed off, not having the courage to finish the sentence. He couldn't tell her that the love confession had been practically the only thing on his mind since it'd happened. He couldn't tell her how delighted he was when he'd been assigned to check on a rumor in Mandalore. He certainly couldn't tell her that he missed her attempt to contact him earlier because memories had left him in need of a cold shower! Yet, he couldn't think of what to say to get out of this. He supposed should he just run out the door or jump out the window, she couldn't stop him.

But she knew how to contact Anakin… And Anakin would certainly find way to get them in the same room, and then he'd just be back here, only even more embarrassed at his rash escape attempts.

Satine spoke, making Obi-Wan realized how long he'd been silent. "You've been thinking… What, Obi?"

"I've been thinking about what you said on the ship." Oh Force, was that a blush he felt creeping on his cheeks? The Great Negotiator, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi was blushing like a little school girl!

He didn't need to further explain for Satine to understand exactly what he meant. "I've been thinking about what we both said a lot, too."

A hopeful glint shone in Obi-Wan's grey eyes. "What have you been thinking?"

"I didn't want to die without you knowing how I felt all those years ago." A small smile crossed her lips, but Obi-Wans heart sank when she specified that's how she felt years ago. As if she were trying to make sure he understood these feelings didn't continue. "I always regretted not ever expressing how much you meant to me."

"In a way, you did." In a lush forest against a tree, with her kneeling in front of him… He had to push those thoughts away, is he certainly couldn't excuse himself to take a cold shower at her place.

"I hoped you understood that's why I did those things with you." A blush was now also creeping over Satine's cheeks. There was no way for it to not be awkward talking with Obi-Wan Kenobi about sex, even if you were a person who'd once did that with them. "I didn't do those with you just because you were there, and it was convenient, and you were incredibly handsome and adorable with your Padawan braid." She chuckled. "You're still handsome, but not so much adorable anymore." She placed a hand on his cheek, his beard tickling her fingertips. "We're not young anymore. We're not supposed to be adorable." She absentmindedly rubbed his face with her thumb, tracing his cheek bone until her thumb trailed off to his lips.

Their eyes met once again, Obi-Wan's practically pleading her to say what he wanted to hear. Conversely, Satine was afraid she'd already said too much. She knew that most likely they would never be together. He was a Jedi Master, and she was a pacifist leader. She felt neither of them would be willing to abandon their posts and their people. There was no point in her voicing another love confession.

"You're correct, Duchess. You're not adorable anymore either," Obi-Wan spoke, her thumb still touching his lips. "You're beautiful."

A blush crept up her cheeks, her eyes fluttering. "Oh, Obi…"

He had to. The moment was just set up too perfectly for him not to do it. Seconds felt like minutes as he closed the distance between their lips, finally allowing himself to do what he'd been denying himself since they reunited. He finally kissed her. It felt comfortable, familiar, but also exhilarating and was even more intoxicating than the three glasses of wine he'd had.

Like all good things, the kiss had to come to an end, far too soon for Obi-Wan's tastes. He knew the sooner they stopped, the sooner they'd have to discuss things. What that kiss meant. What they said on the ship. He wasn't ready for that. He didn't want to be responsible, for once. He didn't want to have to worry about the repercussions, so he cupped her face and kissed her again. This time, he kissed her with more desperation, making sure she knew he didn't want her to pull away this time. She happily obliged, allowing his tongue access to her mouth.

Everything was overwhelming. The sensation of kissing a person in general after years of not doing so, the slightly sweet natural smell of Satine, her hand still cupping his face. He knew he needed to pull away. He was first and foremost a Jedi, and though they were allowed physical intimacy, they certainly weren't supposed to be doing such things with someone that could be described as an attachment!

That didn't stop him from pulling Satine onto his lap. Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling the pair even closer together while his hands roamed her back. His heart was racing, his thoughts going a million kilos a minute. His depravation was causing him to become excited far too easily, but he didn't care, and he hoped she wouldn't hold it against him. He reckoned she wouldn't. If she were going to, she would have mentioned if when she was first placed on his lap; there was no way she couldn't feel his arousal through his pants.

Again, Satine pulled away. Before Obi-Wan could groan at the loss, she nibbled on his earlobe. He could feel her hot breath in his ear, furthering the loss of his rationality. When a moment later she murmured into his ear if he'd like to move things to her bedroom, he couldn't say no. She got off of his lap, tentatively grabbed his hand, and lead him to her room.

Even though they were alone, Satine closed the door behind them. The sound of the door clicking into place broke Obi-Wan from his trance. What was he _thinking?_ Accepting her invitation into her bedroom?! He knew full well what the implications of that invitation were! But… well, he'd already broken the Code with her… It was years ago, but he'd still done it. Several times.

If he'd already broken the code, would one more time really change anything?

That justification was enough for him to convince himself to pick up Satine and lay her down on the bed. He ignored the logical part of him screaming that yes, this would change a lot of things! This would complicate _everything!_ You're a Jedi Master and a General for Force's sake! GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER OBI-WAN!

He continued to ignore that part of his brain, climbing beside her and kissing her once again. The thoughts began to fade as eventually articles of clothing were removed, being flung to who knows where. His reservations completely abated as her hands headed south. She remembered _precisely_ how he liked to be touched, which caused him to be lost to a sea of desire.

At that moment, he no longer cared how this was going to play out in the morning. He no longer cared about the Code, the War. Nothing else mattered except the two of them. He made sure she knew that, ravishing her body as lovingly as he could. He caressed every inch of her body tenderly, making sure to relish in the moment as he caressed her head down to her toes. He laid a trail of kisses up the inside of her leg as he moved back up, stopping mere centimeters below her wetness.

Obi-Wan didn't tease her, though he did mull the idea around in his head as he'd plotted his course. If it hadn't been over a decade since they'd done this or if it were guaranteed that he'd be in a similar position a week from now, then perhaps he would have. He didn't have enough time to draw out this process too terribly long, and things had begun so terribly slowly (even though that was mostly his fault).

Though he had refused to take his time to tease her, he made sure he spent an extensive portion of time exploring the intimate folds of Satine with his mouth and tongue. He knew he wasn't very good with affection, so he couldn't think of a better way to show her how much she meant to him. He only hoped that this form of sentiment was satisfactory to her, and it appeared as if it was; her gasps and moans of his name were more than enough encouragement for him to keep going. The slow build up had a great payoff; the pair were grateful that the apartment was otherwise unoccupied as Satine screamed his name during her powerful release.

It seemed as if the orgasm had an adverse effect in her, as instead of it satisfying her for the night it seemed to have whet her appetite. She kissed him, more hungrily than she had previously in the night, her hands running through his hair. She wanted him, needed him even, and she wasn't going to wait for him to make that move. She pulled away, grabbing a condom from her bedside table (because she wasn't risking bringing a baby into that intergalactic chaos), and carefully slid it onto his erection. She then laid back down, her legs slightly apart, and she looked up at him expectantly.

Who was he to deny her this? He complied, cautiously inching his way inside her as stars danced before his eyes. _Force, this felt good!_ The last time he'd done this was with her so long ago and he'd forgotten how it felt. A moist warmth completely surrounding his dick, her face inches from him, the smell of their sweat filling the air, her breath loud and laced with her want for him… and the feeling of adoration and bliss radiating from his Force signature so potently that Satine, who wasn't Force sensitive in the least bit, could sense it.

He kept his face near her, his chest pressed against hers, the whole time he was inside of her. He knew there were other positions that would feel better to him, increase the friction on his member, but he didn't want that. He wanted to be as close to her, as intimate with her, as possible. He kissed her as much as he could as he slid in and out of her. One of his hands was used to push himself up lightly, not wanting to put all his weight on the petite woman beneath him. His other hand cupped her cheek as he looked deeply into her eyes.

"I love you, Satine…"

A sheen of tears filled her eyes. She'd _always_ longed to hear him say that. "I love you too…" A hand cupped his face, the other affectionately rubbing his back. She really meant it, she loved him. He drove her crazy, and she loved him more than she'd ever loved anyone before, even after all that time apart.

Minutes after his confession, he finished, groaning her name before collapsing onto her. A second later, he seemed to remember how much more he had to of weighed than her, for he pulled out of her before flopping beside her. After disposing of the condom, he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. Her head rested on his chest as he stroked her back. She fell asleep like that, listening to the sounds of her lover's heartbeat.

* * *

"Are we going to recreate our last night together from all those years ago?"

Obi-Wan knew Satine was teasing when she said it, but for a moment he seriously contemplated it. They'd woken up a few hours later and decided to go a second round. He doubted they could ever recapture that night, as it was unrealistic. He could never complete with his Padawan's self's stamina. Instead, he laid a chaste kiss upon her forehead, lingering a moment to smell her hair.

"I love you, Satine." It was the first time he'd said it not mid-coitus.

Satine gasped, having assumed the words were earlier spoken purely from the throws of passion. "I love you too, Obi."

The couple laid in silence, content to be in each other's company. They knew they needed to talk about a lot of things: what that confession really met, what their future was, if they even had a future together… They wanted to put it off as long as possible, but knew they couldn't wait forever. She left in the morning and wouldn't be able to have a heart-to-heart while she prepared to return to Mandalore. That really only left the time they had right then to discuss these issues.

Satine fully understood this, so was the one to finally ask what this all meant. Obi-Wan laid in quiet contemplation, not fully knowing himself what was to come of their relationship. He wished for a way he'd be able to have it all, a life at the Order and a life with his beloved, but he knew such a thing couldn't be so.

"I love you…" he said again, sitting up in the bed. "I can't fathom a way we could do our duties and be together at the same time."

She sighed, her eyes averting his. "Neither can I." She also sat up at the headboard, now shoulder-to-shoulder with her lover. "I can't imagine my life without you in it, but I can't abandon my people, and you can't abandon the Republic."

Desperation filled Obi-Wan's soul. Though his outward demeanor was calm, his mind was frantic. There just _had_ to make their relationship work! He momentarily regretted not asking Anakin how he and Padmé made their relationship work, though he felt his former Padawan would deny their relationship unless they were caught red-handed. They could keep it a secret! From her people, from the Republic! From the Order! No one else had to know!

Yet he knew, it wouldn't work. They'd never be able to see each other. She couldn't frequent Coruscant to visit him; she'd be needed far too frequently on Mandalore for that to work. Likewise, he'd have a difficult time visiting her home planet as often as he'd like to. Logically, they needed to end it right then and right there, but when was love ever logical?

"Obi…" Satine said barely above a whisper, breaking the long period of silence. "You said at one point you'd have left the Order had I asked." He almost stopped breathing, anticipating her next question: "Does that offer still stand?" She knew it was selfish. She knew she shouldn't request such a thing of him, but she also knew it's what he ultimately wanted.

"Yes." There was no wavering in Obi-Wan's voice as he said this, not even a hint of uncertainty in his reply. It was the most difficult decision of his life, but he'd never wanted anything more. He recognized how hard it would be to resign in the morning and he was going to miss his family in the Jedi Order, but he sensed it would all be worth it.

Satine didn't ask if he was sure. She knew he wouldn't have answered if there was any doubt. She kissed his cheek, told him once again that she loved him, and wished him a goodnight as she burrowed into the blankets. Obi-Wan curled himself around her, quickly falling asleep, secure in the knowledge that he was making the right decision.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed reading this! I really enjoyed writing this! Please review!


	2. I Am Happy for You

I have only the vaguest idea of where I'm going with this story. It's expanding from an Obitine story to also include Anidala, because I feel like Obi-Wan leaving the Jedi Order would affect a LOT of the Star Wars universe.

This chapter went where it wanted to go but I'm happy with it. There's a bit of broTP Obikin... which I will henceforth call BrObikin (I'm such a douche... haha). Anyways! Enjoy, review and whatnot!

* * *

He knew that he needed to tell Anakin, before he told anyone else. Before he told anyone in the Council, before he officially resigned from his position as a Jedi Master, Obi-Wan knew he needed to let his former Padawan know of his decision to leave the Order. He woke at dawn and tiptoed out of the bedroom as to make sure he didn't wake the woman he'd made love to most of the night. His brows furrowed when his realize attempt to reach Anakin via holoprojector was a pointless endeavor.

It wasn't really all that much of a hindrance, as long as Anakin was where he expected him to be. Honestly, it would have been better to have that conversation face-to-face anyway; so, Obi-Wan peaked his head back into the bedroom, rousing Satine long enough to inform her of what he was doing and where he was going, and then he left her apartment.

Though Coruscant was certainly a large city -it did take up an entire planet, after all- Obi-Wan was confident he knew where Anakin would be. It also helped that it was far too early for Anakin to be anywhere but in bed; it just so happened that it was likely that Anakin was in Padmé's bed and not his own tiny bed at the Temple. As Obi-Wan pondered during his speeder ride to the Senator's apartment, wondering just how much time Anakin had spent on Coruscant that wasn't spent with Padmé.

Obi-Wan felt a nervous pit forming in his stomach as he neared the apartment. He wasn't completely sure how Anakin was going to react to this news. Would he be angry? Upset? Sad? Would he feel betrayed? Would it be possible that he'd be happy for the new couple? Considering the not-so-secret relationship Anakin had with Padmé, it was entirely possible, Obi-Wan hoped, that Anakin would understand. Then again, Anakin was still in the Order… so maybe he wouldn't understand. Maybe, for that very reason, he'd be exceptionally angry.

There was no point in dwelling on such things. He'd find out soon enough how Anakin would react. He chuckled lightly, finding it funny that he really didn't care how the Jedi Council would react. Thoughts of how almost the entire Jedi Order would react didn't even phase him, but Anakin's potential response worried him. He'd spent years preaching to the boy about attachments, how bad they were, how they made a Jedi lose focus, and yeah, he was probably right. If he weren't, he'd still be in the Order at nightfall, likely already headed out to another mission. Maybe he was the one who needed to hear the attachment spiel far more often than Anakin did.

His heart pounded as he landed the vehicle at the building housing Padmé's apartment. He attempted to let go of the anxiety, but more returned just as quickly as he released it. He decided his efforts were in vain, and he walked to the apartment door, mentally preparing himself for any potential outcome of the upcoming discussion.

A golden protocol droid, See-Threepio, let him in. It announced to it's master that she had a visitor and whom the visitor was, before offering the guest caf or tea. Obi-Wan graciously accepted the offer for tea before noticing the sheer amount of panic practically radiating from the bedroom. It confirmed his suspicions, that Anakin was indeed in there and was likely considering drastic measures like jumping out the window in order to avoid being caught. Obi-Wan couldn't help but chuckle at the couple's nervousness, more at the fact that they really thought no one had caught on to their relationship than anything else.

He walked to the bedroom door, hearing frantic shuffling on the other side before announcing, loud enough to make sure the pair on the other side of the door heard, "I know that Anakin is in there." All noises from the other side stopped, the panic somehow intensifying. "I've actually come here to talk to him."

"KRIFF!" Anakin exclaimed, knowing there was no point in attempted to conceal himself from his former master. Visions of expulsion from the Order danced in his mind and he felt sick to his stomach. He was certain that at best Obi-Wan was there to scold him, to insist that the younger man end his relationship. He was more inclined to believe that Obi-Wan was actually there to suggest that he tell the Council of his relationship before the Jedi Master did. Either way, it wasn't going to be good. Nothing could have prepared him for what Obi-Wan actually had to say.

Padmé opened the door, looking terrified. She, too, knew that this wasn't going to be good. She silently prayed that Obi-Wan wouldn't reveal their relationship to the Jedi or to the Senate. Though it wasn't frowned upon for Senators to take lovers, significant others, or even have families, she was certain the fact that she'd taken a Jedi as a husband would get her kicked out of office, or at least tarnish the good reputation she'd worked so hard to maintain.

Obi-Wan peered into the room, seeing an obviously aggravated, fully dressed Anakin glaring out the window. The Jedi Master beckoned to the couches, saying that the pair would want to sit down because their conversation would likely be a long one. The couple both noticed that Obi-Wan was actually quite antsy himself, which was confusing to both of them. What reason did he have to be nervous? They were the ones who'd been found out.

The trio sat on the couches, Padmé and Anakin sitting across from Obi-Wan but as far from each other as possible without falling off, as if somehow the distance would prevent the older man from catching on, as if Anakin being in Padmé's bedroom as the sun was rising weren't incriminating enough evidence. Threepio brought the trio cafs, before being dismissed until the afternoon by Padmé. She knew they were going to need to be alone. It was obviously going to be an intense conversation to be had.

"How long have you two been together?" Small talk seemed the easiest way for Obi-Wan to begin the conversation, though his topic of choice really had little -is anything- to do with the matter at hand. The couple visibly tensed, assuming the calmness was just masking a storm and at any moment he'd begin to tear into their relationship and all the reasons they shouldn't be in one. They remained silent, prompting Obi-Wan to speak again, "Sometime during the stay at the Lake Country of Naboo, I presume?"

Padmé nodded, sipping at the caf, using her mouth being full of burning liquid as an excuse not to verbally speak. Anakin's eyes were dark, his arms folded around his chest, waiting for the verbal attacks that he was certain were about to pour out of the other man's mouth.

Except, no much attacks came. "You two are in love?" Obi-Wan didn't really need to ask. It was obvious. All you had to do was manage to catch the couple stealing glances at each other to know, not to mention how Anakin's love for her permeated through his Force shields whenever he saw her face.

Both Anakin and Padmé's faces shown curiosity, not expected that sort of question to be what followed. Perhaps he just wanted the full story, so he knew how to disassemble every aspect of their relationship.

"Very much so, Master Kenobi." Padmé finally spoke, her years of being in the political sphere coming in handy. Her voice didn't quaver, didn't show just how apprehensive she was.

Obi-Wan smiled, furthering the couples' confusion and they wondered what sort of weird game he was playing. Did he want them to be the ones to break down and admit what they were doing was wrong? If so, he would be there for a long time; nothing of that sort was going to happen. The words spoken by Obi-Wan Kenobi were ones that they'd never anticipated hearing… "As am I."

Padmé almost dropped her cup of caf that was in her hands, wondering if Obi-Wan had forgotten what he'd previously said and didn't realize he'd said that he was in love with someone. Anakin's face showed bewilderment for a moment, before his face turned to that of surprise, then smugness. He'd quickly figured out who Obi-Wan was talking about.

"Satine." It wasn't a question; Anakin already knew the answer. "Why are you telling us this?"

Of course Anakin would cut right to the chase. The boy had always been impatient, so why would that be any different right now? Obi-Wan wasn't ready for the impact that this declaration would surely create, but there was no way Anakin would let him dance around it.

"I've come to a very important decision." Obi-Wan let out a deep breath, apprehension potent in his Force signature, saturating the air with it. "I'm going to leave the Order."

This time, Padmé did drop her cup and it shattered on the floor. She gasped, a hand covering her mouth, her eyes wide in shock. Obi-Wan was going to _leave_ the Jedi Order? _Because he was in_ _ **love**_ _?!_ She looked over at Anakin, his face stoic, hiding the turbulence inside. He didn't really know what to think; really, there was so much that was running through his mind he couldn't keep track. Obi-Wan was leaving? Was this a joke? It couldn't be, Obi-Wan would never joke about such a thing! Were he and Satine married? Were they expecting a baby or something?

 _Would he be losing yet another person he cared about?_

"Anakin?" Obi-Wan couldn't sense what Anakin was thinking, but the long period of silence was concerning him. He was expected to hear the younger man's reaction the second he'd revealed his plan. "I wanted to make sure you found out from me. I haven't even told the Council yet. He was met with further silence, Anakin's expression not changing in the least bit, not allowing Obi-Wan to decipher his emotions. Was he angry, or was he merely shocked as Padmé was? "I thought if anyone could understand, it would have been you two."

Padmé looked from Obi-Wan to Anakin. She fully understood. It must have been a million times that she'd almost asked Anakin to leave the Order for her. If she was honest with herself, she knew that if she spent any less time on Coruscant, if she didn't live so near the Jedi Temple, she'd ask him to leave in a heartbeat. She remembered all the time they'd spent an exceptionally long time together, how it made her sometimes not care if they got caught, how even sometimes she _wanted_ to get caught so he'd have to spend her days with her and not out on missions. She knew it was selfish, but it was how she felt, so of course she emphasized with Obi-Wan and Satine.

Padmé returned her gaze to the Jedi Master. "I understand and support your decision, Obi-Wan." She knew she didn't need to say anymore. The small sentiment was enough for him to understand that she fully gave them her blessing.

"How?!" Anakin snapped, surprisingly not at Obi-Wan but at his wife. This wasn't what they expected to cause Anakin to actually react. His face contorted in frustration, far more visibly angry than he'd been seen outside of battle. "You understand and support _his_ decision to leave the Jedi Order? Are you _kriffing kidding_ me Padmé?"

Obi-Wan sat back, trying to disappear into the plush couch. He certainly wasn't expecting this reaction, and he was almost afraid to interfere. He felt it wasn't his place, and if it would have been easier to sneak away without them noticing he might have. He sensed this conversation was a long time coming, but was prompted, not caused in and of itself, by Obi-Wan's confession.

"What do you mean, Anakin?" Padmé wasn't sure what Anakin was getting at, causing further annoyance in the Jedi Knight.

He couldn't believe he had to spell it out for her. "I've offered to leave the Order for you, so many kriffing times I can't even keep track of how many kriffing times!" Anakin rose from his seat, arms flailing as he continued his ramble. "You've told me not to! You've told me I couldn't! _I won't let you give up your future for me…_ " he mocked, venom boiled through his voice as he imitated his wife, a phase she'd said to him so many times throughout their relationship.

"What was I supposed to do, Anakin?" Padmé yelled back, her cheeks reddening as she did so and Obi-Wan further attempted to hide in the couch. "It's what you'd always wanted! When you were a little boy on Tattoine, your eyes lit up when Qui-Gon said that being a Knight could be your future! I couldn't take that away from you!"

Anakin scoffed as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Did you ever think that _maybe_ my eyes lit up because it was a way out of slavery and off that Force-forsaken planet?" Anakin bellowed, his face reddening and brow furrowing. "I was only _nine_ Padmé! I was a child! I didn't really understand what the Jedi Order was!"

He stomped about in a little pace around the couch as he continued to ramble. "All I'd heard was the Jedi were these grand protectors of the galaxy. I didn't know about these kriffing rules, these ridiculous restrictions!" He ran his hands agitatedly through his hair. "I didn't know I wasn't going to be told not to love anyone, or not to even really kriffin' care about a single kriffin' person!" He stamped towards the door, placing his hand on the button to open said door. "Do you really think I'd offer to leave the Order if I had really wanted to stay?" he questioned bitterly as the door slid open.

"Anakin, where are you going?" Padmé called after him in a sheer panic, not sure what to do. She'd never seen him quite like this, at least not towards her.

Anakin took a step out the door, placing his hand on the button to close the door behind him. "Out," and with that he closed the door.

Obi-Wan rose from the couch, frantic. "I'm so sorry, Padmé! I didn't expect him so react like that!" He had certainly entertained the notion that Anakin might react that way towards him, but certainly not Padmé.

Tears were welling in the Senator's eyes. "It's okay. Well, it's not okay, but you didn't cause this." She let out a disheartened sigh, then cradled her head in her hands. She was scared and in a way she felt guilty. She should have questioned him long ago about why he kept bringing up leaving the Order, instead of just assuming it was purely for her. She should have asked him what he really wanted, in life, in their marriage, in his career… but she hadn't. "This has obviously been bothering him for a while. I just wish he'd brought it up in a different way."

"I'm going after him." Obi-Wan stepped towards the door, knowing he needed to act quickly. Satine would certainly wait for him to return to her before leaving for Mandalore, but she couldn't wait too long. She still had a lot to deal with on her planet and he couldn't keep her waiting long, but he couldn't leave Coruscant with Anakin like this either. "I'll bring him back here. You have my word."

"Thank you, Obi-Wan." Padmé looked up at the departing Jedi. "I really am happy for you. You deserve this." She gave him a small, sincere smile, for just a moment until thoughts of her own troubles returned to her mind. "May the Force be with you."

Obi-Wan softly smiled at Padmé, wishing her the same sentiment as he closed the door behind him.

* * *

Once again, Obi-Wan left to find Anakin and once again, he was fairly easy to find. Even with all the places to go in the city, there were really only four places Anakin went: The Jedi Temple, Padmé's apartment, and Senate building, and Dex's Diner. The Force, or perhaps just his instinct, told him that his friend would be found at the diner, both because Anakin was likely very hungry but also because it was likely no one would bother him there.

Unless Obi-Wan Kenobi showed up and slid into the booth across from him, which he did.

Anakin didn't hide the irritation he was harboring very well, with his jaw tightly clenched and the annoyed glare he sent the other man. It was far too crowded for any sort of scene to be made, though, so he kept his mouth shut, not trusting that anything other than yells could come out of it at that point in time. Instead, he made like his food and Jawa juice were the most interesting things he'd ever seen and stared intently at them.

Obi-Wan allowed the silence for a time, speaking only when the robotic waitress asked him if he'd like a cup of Jawa juice himself, before continuing to say absolutely nothing. He took the time to try to gage what Anakin was feeling at that moment so he could figure out how exactly to go about settling things and returning the boy home to his… lover? No, they had to have been more than that, so was she Anakin's girlfriend? His wife? Obi-Wan realized had no idea how far their relationship had really progressed, but he felt safe in supposing that they were serious about each other. They had to be to still be together since the first Battle of Geonosis.

He decided to not let the silence continue for very long, as he didn't want to make it a habit of him sitting awkwardly around a table and avoiding discussing things that really needed to be discussed. He knew that him leaving the Order upset Anakin in complex ways, but decided to first bring up why the matter was also interfering with Anakin's romantic relationship.

"I'm sorry I seemed to cause a strife between you and your other." Was other a good way to describe her, Obi-Wan pondered momentarily. He didn't know what else to refer to her as in the public sphere. He certainly didn't need to bring up the fact that she was a senator; that could attract unwanted attention.

Anakin stopped eating, pausing a moment to let out a sigh. "You didn't," was his curt reply. He was obviously still angry, but at least he said something as opposed to refusing to acknowledge him, or even start shouting.

"Padmé mentioned that it seemed like this was a long time coming…" Obi-Wan awkwardly fidgeted with his cup, unsure of how to start a proper dialogue instead of a one-way conversation. "…I still feel remorseful to have prompted the fight."

Anakin cocked an eyebrow, finally looking at the man sitting across from him. He sneered, "Do you _really_?" Irritation coursed through his veins, making it difficult for him to remain relatively quiet, not wanting to start shrieking and then have the entire diner, and maybe later the entirety of Coruscant, knowing of their squabble.

"I thought your irritation would lie purely with me," Obi-Wan sighed, quickly adding, "…understandably so!" when he saw Anakin's eye squint in rage. "I didn't expect you to become irritated with anyone else because of my decisions." He didn't have the time to use tact; he had to just ask, "Why did it make you angry with _her_?"

"You heard what I said. You were there." Anakin aggressively jabbed at his food with his fork. "She supports you but when I've offered to leave, she tells me I can't."

"…and you want to leave?" Obi-Wan asked, even though he was certain he knew the answer. He knew Anakin hadn't been happy with the Jedi Order for some time. The Knight didn't exactly hide it. Between the Council's lack of faith and the fact that he had to sneak around with Padmé, it was easy to see why the Order no longer brought Anakin much joy.

Anakin nodded, his expression changing to one that was much more solemn. "I know now that you understand. I was prepared to resign after we got married, when the war had first started. I had everything planned, but when I told her of this before leaving Naboo she said no." He huffed, moving one of the last few pieces of food he had on his plate around with his fork, his eyes in the direction of the plate but it was observable he wasn't really looking at anything. "If it weren't for you, I'd have left the Order anyway."

Obi-Wan hadn't expected to hear that from Anakin, though he realized he shouldn't have been surprised. Anakin was never good at not forming attachments, though he never really thought about the fact that he himself were one of them. It seemed the duo had far more in common than either one of them had initially thought. He almost chuckled, but stifled it knowing it'd be in bad taste if he did so right then.

"Do you want her to ask you to leave? Do you want her to _want_ you to leave?"

"That's part of why this makes me so… frustrated." Anakin dropped his fork, putting his elbows on the tabled and rubbing his temples. "I _can't_ leave now. I have a Padawan! I can't just run off and abandon her…"

 _Abandon?_ "…Do you feel like I'm abandoning you Anakin?" Obi-Wan was afraid to ask, but knew that the question needed to be put out in the open.

Anakin grumbled incoherently, not wanting to answer that question, not wanting to be that vulnerable. He knew this was part of the reason attachments were forbidden; it wasn't good for them to get attached to people who weren't going to be able to stay in their lives, as was the norm for the Jedi. He also knew that most, if not all, the Jedi were rather poor at not forming an attachment with at least one person. Anakin, like Obi-Wan, had become attached to quite a few people. Also similarly to Obi-Wan, he'd lost some of those he'd been attached to.

He didn't want to add Obi-Wan to the list of people he'd loved and lost. He didn't want one of the few reasons he stayed in the Order to be gone. It was far too painful for him to imagine living the life of a Jedi, fighting in the war, without his best friend and mentor by his side for most of it, even if he did understand why Obi-Wan had to go.

"I, too, am happy for you, Obi-Wan." Anakin decided to change the subject, for there was no way he was going to admit how much he was hurting to Obi-Wan. He sensed the other Jedi knew anyway, though, so there really was no point in vocalizing it. "You deserve to be happy."

"As do you, my old friend." Obi-Wan grabbed Anakin's forearm and smiled, giving it an affectionate squeeze before pulling it away almost as quickly as it had been there. Neither man was very good at this mushy, affection thing so again, they sat in silence, neither one knowing how to really continue the conversation.

When Anakin finally spoke, his voice sounded almost as it did when he was a child back on Tatoine all those years ago. "Will I ever see you again?"

Again, Obi-Wan smiled. "Of course, Anakin." Even though he was leaving the Jedi Order and he was likely to never see most of the people in it, there was no way he was going to let himself fall out of contact with Anakin. "I'll be sure to visit as often as I can." He stood, leaving some credits on the table to pay for his Jawa juice. "Come on, Anakin. I promised to deliver you home to your… _wife_." The word felt strange in his mouth, not being one he'd used often. It was especially strange to him thinking of Anakin as a husband, but he knew he'd need to get over it; chances were he'd be a husband sometime soon, as well.

Anakin stood as well, leaving some of his own credits on the table. "Obi-Wan?"

"Yes, Anakin?"

"I'm going to miss you…"

Obi-Wan tensed, not expecting such mush from Anakin, before relaxing. He enjoyed hearing such sentiments from his friend. "I'm going to miss you too."


	3. I Have Made My Decision

Writing this chapter has been one hell of a ride, hence why it has taken so fucking long for this chapter to get out (well, that and forming a sudden, time-consuming obsession with "Life is Strange"). I originally was going to do a time jump and wrote like half of that chapter, before deciding to continue this section of the story a bit more (it seems like it's what the reviewers wanted, which made me realize that I don't think the last chapter was strong enough to end this section on). Then, I was writing the second section of this chapter before I realized Obi-Wan hadn't resigned from the Order yet and kind of (really) needed to do that, and I was like "SHIT!" and had to go back to write that little section, and then I decided there needs to be Obitine fluff because this originally was just supposed to be a pure Obitine love story because my god those two are cute af together, plus with how long it's taken me to write this flipping chapter, y'all deserve some fluff… and some more vague smut.  
But yeah. I feel simultaneously like a lot happens in this chapter, yet nothing really happens in this chapter because I feel like it was obvious all these things would happen… Or maybe it seems obvious because I'm the one writing it (ha!).

Anyways! Enough ramblings! As always, enjoy and review (because the reviews are very much appreciated)!

* * *

The Jedi Master had every intention of returning Anakin home to his wife, but he still had but one lose end to tie up before he left. He had yet to officially resign as a Jedi, and knew this was something he should do in person. It was the respectable and right thing to do, in his opinion. Though it was tempting to never show back up, there was no way he was going to do that. Even when Kenobi was breaking the rules and doing things Jedi's weren't supposed to do, he was still going to do it in the most formal and polite way possible. The sun was reaching higher into the sky, and it was becoming an hour most people would deem a reasonable one to be awake during, so he knew he needed to hurry.

He didn't feel as nearly as nervous as he had when he headed to Padmé's apartment to inform her and Anakin of his decision. It wasn't that he didn't like the Council, because he did. He wasn't particularly attached to anyone in the Council, at least not in any way comparable to how he felt about Satine or Anakin. He used to consider himself excellent at preventing such things, even in the rare moments in his past that he'd acknowledge his attachment to Anakin.

It was rather difficult for even the best of Jedi, even Master Yoda, to avoid forming an attachment to their Padawan. The Master-Padawan relationship was supposed to be akin to a Teacher-Student one, but most Jedi would never admit that it often turned into more of a Parent-Child sort of thing. That's why it had been so painful for him when he watched Qui-Gon die; the man might as well have been his father, for he raised him as such.

However, he didn't really regard Anakin as a son. Not anymore at least. When Anakin was first his Padawan, when the boy was still so young and so afraid, still so unsure of himself, and still so doubtful that Obi-Wan was going to be kind to him, then he had been thought of as Obi-Wan's precious son. Of course, he'd have never admitted it back then, but now that he was being honest with himself, it was obvious that they had some sort of father-son relationship.

As the pair spent more time together and Anakin realized that Obi-Wan wasn't going to treat him as the other people he'd called "Master" had, their relationship changed. Anakin no longer needed a full-fledged father figure, and it quickly became apparent that he'd didn't really wanted one. He began to see who his Padawan really was -an intelligent, frustration, stubborn goofball- and began to think of him more as a younger brother.

"Good morning, Master Kenobi!" He'd been so lost in thought on his walk to the Council Chambers that he hadn't even noticed the young togruta, Ahsoka Tano, as he rounded a corner, mere steps from the door containing the chambers. Her voice was cheerful and polite, as it typically was, reminding him that she hadn't found out about his decision. Not that he thought she would have somehow found out, but it was just so pertinent in his mind and his day that he forgot it wasn't public knowledge.

"Good morning, Ahsoka," he responded, trying to sound pleasant but not nearly as cheerily as the young girl. He pondered for a moment if he should tell her, ultimately deciding to do so. After all, she was right there, and he was literal steps away from the Council Chambers, and it was likely on his way out that he wouldn't see her again. "Do you have a spare moment?"

She smiled, assuming it wasn't going to be anything major or urgent. "Of course. What is it, Master Kenobi?" Her expression changed when he told her what was about to happen, briefly explaining what had already happened that morning. She had never expected Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, one of the stricter Jedi Masters, one of the ones that harped the most about the Code, being one of the few Jedi to leave the Order, and for a romantic interest no less! "You're sure my master is really going to be okay with all this?"

Obi-Wan wasn't surprised that her concern mostly lied with Anakin. He smiled at her, chuckling at the fact that of course she was worried about Anakin; she was attached to him. It was easy to see now how flawed the Order was, but he wouldn't vocalize these things. Not to Ahsoka, Anakin, the Council, perhaps not even his sweetheart. "He's accepted my decision and I'll be back soon to visit him."

The young Padawan was silent a moment, contemplating. She knew he wasn't lying, or at least she assumed he wasn't. Her faith in him had been a bit shaken, for if he broke the Code in such a way, what other unexpected behavior could he display? However, he was at least honest about him breaking the Code, and she had no other reasons to distrust him, plus she had no time to interrogate him. She had important Padawan training to undergo that morning.

"Well… I hope you find happiness, Master Kenobi." She gave him a brief hug before departing, saying a last, "May the Force be with you," before disappearing behind the corner.

Finally, Obi-Wan entered the Council Chambers, not surprised that there was really only a small amount of Master's there. It was likely around half of them were out on missions, as had become the norm since the start of the war. Others simply hadn't made it to the Chambers yet, as it was still fairly early in the morning. Other Masters were currently training other Jedi in other rooms of the Temple. This really left a sliver of the Jedi Masters in the Chamber: Master Yoda, Master Windu, and Master Mundi.

"Good morning, Master Kenobi. Unexpected, it is, to see you," Yoda observed, tilting his head to the side slightly in curiosity.

Obi-Wan had expected his nerves to finally hit him when he stood before the Council, especially in front of Yoda, but he still felt unruffled. There was no doubt in his mind that he was making the right decision. There was nothing he wanted more and no one he wanted to spend more time with than his beloved Satine. He knew he would regret not going with her if he decided to stay in the Order, and he didn't want to miss out on any more time with her. There were already too many years to make up for.

"Good morning, Master Yoda," he gave a polite nod, then wished the other Master's present a good morning as well. "I haven't much time. There's something I need to tell you." _Don't beat around the bush, Kenobi! Just say it!_

"Is everything alright?" Mace Windu asked, his concern obvious. He assumed this had something to do with the war, or the safety of the Duchess.

"Yes; you're probably just not going to like what I have to say." _Stop prolonging it. You still have to bring Anakin home to his wife._ "After much contemplation, I've decided that it's best that I leave the Jedi Order."

Silence filled the room, the Master's wondering if they'd heard right. Neither Windu nor Mundi had expected this. It wasn't often that a Jedi left their organization, and ones that did were ones that seemed unhappy, were constantly breaking rules, and pretty much the exact opposite of Obi-Wan Kenobi. There was also a flicker of disappointment. He was a vital part of their army, one of the highest ranking and most respected generals. He was the Negotiator for Force's sake! He was irreplaceable!

"I see…" was all that Master Yoda said. He'd been the only one who sensed this was going to happen, and was far calmer than the other Jedi. He'd accepted that this lose was going to occur when Obi-Wan returned from his mission. He knew there was nothing they could do to convince the man to stay in the Order, for if he hadn't been completely certain, he wouldn't have verbalized a resignation in the first place.

Mace Windu was far less calm about this declaration. "You're _leaving_ the Order?" He was skeptical; it felt almost as if it were a joke. It _had_ to be a joke! There had been no warning that Obi-Wan wanted to leave the Order he'd dedicated his entire life to. He seemed perfectly content with his life as a Jedi before he'd been sent to Mandalore. What could have changed in such a short span of time?

"Are you sure, Master Kenobi?" Ki-Adi-Mundi questioned, more out of formality than anything else. Of course he was sure; he wouldn't have said he was leaving unless he was completely sure. Obi-Wan Kenobi wasn't irrational nor impulsive. He was fully aware of the repercussions of his decision long before he actually formally resigned from the Order.

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life," Obi-Wan said, verbalizing what Yoda and Mundi had assumed. He then began to thank them for the opportunities they'd given him during his time in the Order, mentioning that he'd cherish the memories they shared, sounding very much like the mix of a person formally leaving a company they'd been working at for decades and a person breaking up with a long-time partner. The only part that was missing was a "It's not you it's me," spiel.

" _Why_ are you leaving the Order?" After many minutes of Obi-Wan's speech, it became apparent that he wasn't going to give a straight up answer to this question on his own and Mace Windu needed to know what was so important, so compelling, that Obi-Wan would leave the Order in such a way.

Obi-Wan was silent a moment, not really wanting to answer the question. His personal life really was not something the Jedi needed to be interfering with. He quickly realized that this personal tidbit of information was going to quickly become common knowledge; he was, after all, dating a duchess, and gossip of someone in such a position having romantic ties to a former Jedi Master would surely travel fast. It would probably hurt the Council less if they heard it from him, rather than from the mouth of some random gossiper.

"I've met someone that I intend to spend the rest of my life with."

"Satine, the Duchess." It wasn't a question for Master Yoda already knew the answer. It wasn't exactly difficult to put the pieces together now that it was known why Obi-Wan was leaving.

"You're leaving the Jedi Order for a _woman_?" Mace Windu's face showed his disbelief, masking his irritation well. They were losing one of their most important Master's in the war because he'd fallen in love? "You're giving up **everything** you've **ever** worked for because of an **_attachment_**?!"

Obi-Wan frowned at this, keeping his demeanor calm despite the fact that was Windu had just said really irked him. "I didn't expect any of you to understand, or even anyone in the whole Order to understand for that matter. This wasn't something I had planned, nor sought, but it happened. Attachments happen, _whether the Jedi want them too or not._ " He made sure to emphasize the latter half of that sentence, hinting that he knew they all had attachments as well.

Mace Windu was about to retaliate but Obi-Wan continued his speech, a serious gleam in his eye and an edge to his voice. "I have made my decision. This is not something I'm taking lightly. I've done a lot of thinking about this, and my feelings for Satine far outweigh the pledge I made to this Order." He couldn't help but add, "I would also appreciate it the Council didn't refer to the woman I love as merely an "attachment". It sounds far too cold and impersonal." He momentarily shot Mace Windu a look, before deciding it was time to go. There was no point in trying to make them understand; they were too set in their ways. He gave quick, impersonal goodbyes before hastily making his way back to the speeder. He couldn't get out fast enough.

* * *

Obi-Wan brought Anakin home as promised, the younger man much calmer than he'd been when he left a few hours prior. Anakin and Padmé knew they needed to finish their conversation, that hopefully wouldn't escalate back into an argument, but it needed to wait. Not very long, for they both knew it would be best to have that settled that day, but it needed to wait until they properly had said goodbye to their dear friend.

Anakin repeated his sentiments of good fortune and happiness for the new couple, also adding that he hoped that their trip back to Mandalore would be far less eventful than their trip from it. Padmé once again gave her blessing, being sure to add in her gratitude for Obi-Wan bringing her husband back to her. They promised to exchange their stories of how the relationships came to be whenever it would be possible for one couple to visit the other. The trio hoped that time would be sooner rather than later.

After a great deal of time of small talk and random blurbs that were prolonging the process of Obi-Wan departing, the elder man announced that he really needed to go; there was still much to be done on Mandalore, and he couldn't keep Satine, or her people, waiting. Padmé hadn't expected to become emotional at the prospect of Obi-Wan leaving; it hadn't been like she was used to seeing him often, just periodically every few weeks or months. She didn't know why it felt so different this time. She hugged him, holding on a little more tightly and for a little more time than she would with most of her friendly hugs.

Conversely, Anakin had fully expected how emotional he would be at that moment, but he didn't account for just how bad he'd be at hiding it. He didn't know why he couldn't stop the tears filling his eyes, perhaps because he didn't have to hide his feelings around them. Perhaps he knew it was safe to be who he really was and let his guard down around his wife and his best friend. He pulled Obi-Wan into a tight embrace, surprised when Obi-Wan returned it. It was emotional, awkward, and yet it felt natural.

Obi-Wan pulled away, keeping his hands on Anakin's shoulders. "I'm sorry I'm leaving you here, Anakin, but my place is with Satine now." He smiled wistfully, a bittersweet glint in his eyes. There was no doubt in his mind that he wanted to be with the Duchess, yet he felt a certain sadness about his departure.

Though he was more than ready to leave the Order, it still left him feeling melancholy about that chapter of his life being over. There was a good chance he'd never see most of his friends in the Order again, especially with the seemingly never-ending war. He'd never be in the Room of a Thousand Fountains again, nor the Jedi Archives, or any of the other places in the Jedi Temple. He felt mixed emotions about leaving the planet he considered a home for almost the entirety of his life. Of course, the thing he'd miss most about the time in the Jedi Order, and the thing on the planer he'd miss the most, was Anakin.

"It's alright, Obi-Wan." Anakin returned the sad smile as tears filled his eyes. Of course it was alright. He understood why the older man was making this decision. He wanted to leave the Order as well for many of the same reasons, and had Padmé been stationed on Naboo instead of Coruscant he would have made the exact same decision. It was because of this similarity he didn't completely feel as if he were being abandoned.

Still, if he was being honest with himself -which he wasn't about to do- he'd admit that it hurt like hell. Other than Padmé, Obi-Wan was the most important person in his life. They were closer than brothers, almost like they were platonic soulmates. It was like a piece of him was going across the galaxy. He pulled the other man back into a tight hug, wanting to be close while they still could.

Padmé took a step back, not wanting to interfere with the two men's affectionate moment. If felt private, like she should leave, but she knew if she tried to do that they'd just call her back to them. Though she was sad about Obi-Wan's departure for her own reasons, as she'd come to realize he was like that one family member you loved and trusted yet rarely saw, she was mostly sad for Anakin. Though it seemed he was doing much better than she'd have anticipated, she knew Obi-Wan's leaving had to of been tearing him apart.

Again, Obi-Wan pulled away from the hug and took a few steps towards the door. He knew he really needed to leave for Satine surely wouldn't wait for him forever. "Don't be sad, Anakin. I'll be back to see you before you'll even have a chance to miss me."

Anakin gave him a mischievous grin. "I'm gonna hold you to that, Master." The grin disappeared quickly. It wasn't likely that Obi-Wan to make good on that promise; he wouldn't be missed as soon as he departed, nor as the day turned into night. He would, however, be missed the moment Anakin departed for his next mission, which would likely be within a week. There was no way his friend would be back by then, but he knew that Obi-Wan would be back soon.

The former Jedi stopped a step away from the door. There was still something that needed to be said before he left. He didn't want to leave with anything unsaid, yet he was uncomfortable with being just that raw with another person. He knew it'd be easier to be open with Anakin than to leave with regrets. He turned to glance back at the taller man and said, barely above a whisper, "I love you, Anakin."

Anakin Skywalker had only been told that by two people in his life previously: his mother and his wife, and they were also the only people he'd ever actually told he loved as well. Though he was much more comfortable with the fact that he felt love and other emotions than most Jedi, actually verbalizing such a thing was another matter entirely. He felt he needed to return the sentiment. After all, he really did love Obi-Wan. "I love you, too, Obi-Wan."

The aforementioned man smiled before exiting the apartment, excited to start his new life even while he left some of those he loved behind. Anakin and Padmé were really happy for him, but they would be lying if they didn't admit they were sad to see him go. Padmé took just a moment to comfort her husband, pulling him into a tight embrace and stroking his back, before pulling away. Though Obi-Wan had just left, the couple he left behind couldn't wait around to talk before delving into the issues that had been first brought up only a few hours prior. Soon, Anakin would have to go as well and report to the Temple. Otherwise, the Council might start to suspect something.

Padmé was the one to actually bring the topic back up. "We need to talk about our fight this morning." She grabbed Anakin's hand and guided him back to the couch and they sat down next to each other. "Do you really want to leave the Order?"

Anakin swallowed in apprehension. She wasn't beating around the bush; she was just going for it. He knew he needed to do as such as well. "I haven't really been happy in the Order in a long time, but I can't leave now." A look of confusion shown on his wife's face as he paused, the expression making him realize he needed to continue talking. "I can't leave Ahsoka. It's my responsibility to train her."

Padmé rested one of her hands on her husband's legs, squeezing it affectionately. She finally asked him what she should have asked him a long time ago, instead of just assuming. "What do you really want to do, Anakin?"

"You mean right now?"

"I mean with your life!" A look of guilt shown in her eyes. "I should have asked you this long ago, but I just thought the life of a Jedi was what you wanted. You seem so impassioned by it, so I never thought to ask otherwise."

"We haven't really had time to have these kinds of talk," Anakin rationalized, wanting his beloved to stop blaming all of this on herself. He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer to him. "The times we have together are too few and far between. Of course we'd want to spend the bulk of that time enjoying each other instead of dealing with these kinds of things."

"If we want to last, we'll have to have these kinds of talks." Padmé nuzzled Anakin's cheek with her nose before planting a chaste kiss upon it. She looked deep into his eyes, and he could see she was afraid. "I don't want us to get to a point beyond repair because we keep putting our issues aside."

Now Anakin was looking at her quizzically. "It was only one fight, Padmé."

"Ani, these things can pile on and escalate quickly." Again, guilt shown on her face and her gaze averted to the floor. Her normally strong voice broke as she said, "I don't want to lose you… I'm just so sorry I've never tried to initiate this talk before."

He cupped her face with the hand what wasn't around her and forced their eyes to meet once again. "Don't apologize, Angel. We're having this talk now." He gave her a quick kiss. "All I know is that I want you to stay in my life. Other than that, I don't really know what I want to do. I just can't imagine always being dedicated to the Jedi, not with the way they run things." He told her as many issues that he could think of: their denial of attachments, their failure to give credit where it was due, their hypocrisy, not to mention how he was coming to accept he'd never be the kind of Jedi they wanted him to be.

"You can leave if you want to." Padmé's voice was tentative. She was fearful she would once again say the wrong thing and either he'd run off or things would escalate into an argument. They simply didn't have time to deal with either, and there was no guarantee he'd be returning home to her that night. It wasn't uncommon for him to be sent on another mission that quickly. She decided to elaborate before he could respond as a preemptive measure. "You can stay in the Order if you want. I'll support whatever you want to do, Anakin, as long as you let me know first."

Anakin smiled, one of his rare genuine smiles that so few people got to see. He placed a kiss on her forehead. "Do you really mean that?"

"Of course, Ani. You have to live your life how you want to."

Anakin didn't know what to say, so he sat and stared at his wife in a stunned silence. The only person he'd ever heard anything close to that from had been his mother, and that was so many years ago. Needless to say, he wasn't used to receiving such unwavering support like that and it felt divine. It made him feel joyful; it made him feel appreciative; it made him feel more loved than he ever had before in his life.

Though the rest of the conversation was rushed, they talked about the possibilities of Anakin's future. They spoke of ways he could try to make change in the Order, or at the very least make the rest of his time there more bearable. They talked about what he could do if he one day left the Order. They chattered about maybe having children one day, when there was no war. Anakin felt as if the possibilities were endless, and for only the second time in his life he truly felt free.

* * *

As the morning dragged on, Satine began to have ever-increasing doubts. She had a foggy memory of Obi-Wan telling her that he was going to speak with Anakin and that he would return but that was so many hours ago. There wasn't really much more stalling she could do as the crew grew antsy to leave.

She couldn't tell them that they needed to wait for someone, much less a Jedi Master. If he really had changed his mind, even though it would break her heart, she didn't want word to get out that could potentially ruin his livelihood. She couldn't be angry at him for choosing the only life he'd ever known over her. Well, that wasn't truthful. She would be angry, and hurt, and sad. She wouldn't hold it against him, though.

She looked woefully over the city that she would be leaving soon, silently pleading that Obi-Wan was actually going to be leaving with her. She had never expected him to ever agree to such a thing, but she was filled with such hope when that very thing happened. During all those years that she never stopped loving him, every so often she'd allow herself to daydream about what their life could be like if it had been possible for them to be together. Ruling a peaceful planet with him by her side, having someone to return home to each night, a beautiful wedding, maybe a child or two… All things that could happen now if he actually showed up.

Her heart almost stopped as she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her from behind. She felt a beard against her cheek. She looked up, not that she needed to see him to confirm that it was her beloved Obi-Wan. He had always been a man of his word, so of course he showed up and she felt foolish for ever doubting him. She also felt something else: exhilaration. He was actually going to be going with her to Mandalore! They could finally, after all those years of longing, be together without anything really standing in their way. She felt so happy she could cry, and she had an inkling he felt the same way.

Satine turned around, beaming as she grabbed one of Obi-Wan's hands and lead him to her ship. She informed the crew that they could now leave whenever ready. At first, they looked at her in stunned silence, confused as to why Obi-Wan Kenobi was going with them and, more importantly, why he was holding the Duchess's hand. They quickly replied politely, telling her they'd be ready to go shortly, before continuing on their business.

She pulled her lover further into the ship, taking him to her private bed chambers. She wanted desperately to be alone with him. She didn't know if she could handle another round of penetration after the previous night. Even though he'd been gentle, she wasn't exactly used to having intercourse, at least not at that frequency. Still, there were other intimate things they could do without him entering her.

The anticipation of him coming with her had driven her mad and it took every ounce of willpower to not immediately drop to her knees in front of him in appreciation the second they were alone. No, they didn't have to rush and they both deserved more than a quickie. They deserved to take their time and enjoy each other. She knew they should probably talk first about the events that had transpired while he was away, but her resolve wasn't quite that strong. So, as the door closed behind him, she pushed him up against it and ravished his lips with kisses and removing the articles of clothing covering his upper body.

Though they had already made love twice in the past twelve hours, not to mention countless times before that, this time felt tremendously different. This time it wasn't forbidden. This time there wouldn't be worries in the back of their minds about if people had found out. This time they were actually together, a couple, and that night they would fall asleep next to each other. And the next night, and the night after that; it was wonderful.

They didn't have to put their all into this, as there would be other times that their lips would be pressed together, other times that Obi-Wan would be removing her dress, and other times her eager hands would be teasing him under his trousers. There was no trace of desperation in their actions, just affection and desire.

Satine's mind was in a lusty haze and couldn't exactly recall when she once again grabbed Obi-Wan's hand and sat him on the edge of the bed. She couldn't recall why she gave in as she kneeled before him on the floor the finished undressing him. She would likely always remember how delectably he gasped as she took him in her mouth. She'd remember the pleasured gasps that escaped his lips as she licked him from root to top before taking all of him in her mouth once again. She'd remember him politely warning her that her was drawing close to his release, and she would definitely remember him groaning her name over and over until it were nothing but an incoherent murmur as he came inside of her mouth.

She looked up at him gave him a smile that showed both mischievousness and adoration before crawling on the bed. She gestured for him to lay down beside her, which he did. The smile never left her lips as their faces were inches apart. His heart was still pounding at her was coming down from the high of orgasm as he went in for a kiss, which she denied him. Instead, she laid a kiss upon his forehead as one of her hands came to rest upon his cheek. It was like they had all the time in the world and she wanted him to savor this moment before delving back into their physical passions.

There would be ample time for her to be satisfied before they landed on Mandalore.


	4. I Am Worried

I wanted to get this out a lot sooner, like so much sooner, but first I had an idea, and then I decided to put at least one more arc before it. Then I watched Clone Wars for ideas, which was a bad idea because then all I wanted to do in my free time was watch Clone Wars (which I can't just play in the background and half pay attention to it. I. Have. To. WATCH IT). Plus, the Steam Summer sale! That and I kinda wrote a one-shot when I should have been writing this… Arg!  
Clone Wars did give me ideas and inspire me, though! So there's that bit of goodness. I don't remember if I've mentioned this in other notes, but this is my first time watching Clone Wars (but I already know what happens to Ahsoka and Satine… (Side Note though! The other day I got to the story arc with Father, Daughter, and Son and it was AMAZING!))  
ANYWAYS! I've prattled on enough! As always my beloved readers, enjoy, read, and review!

* * *

Satine tried to stifle a giggle as she gazed upon Obi-Wan Kenobi from the comfort of their bed. She had just woken up, rather early mind you as she always did unless she was vacationing. Obi-Wan, however, had apparently been up for quite some time. He had already showered and shaved, dressed, even had time to prepare them both a nice breakfast before he woke her up. He looked fairly excited, something Obi-Wan never really was, and it was just so adorable to Satine that she had to let out another giggle.

Obi-Wan led his sweetheart to the dining room, motioning for her to sit down at her usual spot where an already made plate and a cup of caf was waiting for her. She smiled at him endearingly. He'd always been so sweet to her when they weren't making sarcastic comments to one another, but now that they could openly be together he'd been even kinder and thoughtful towards her.

Even though he'd had minimal practice, it turned out that Obi-Wan was quite the romantic. Most of his gestures weren't over the top like in the romance novels, though Satine supposed they might have been if they both weren't so busy with Mandalorian issues. Most of his gestures were like this, making her a nice meal for them to share together, picking her up something that reminded him of her when he was at a shop, or leaving her flowers or some of her favorite snacks where he knew she'd find them when she was having an especially bad day.

Though it really hadn't been that long since Obi-Wan officially became a resident of Mandalore, really only a few months, he'd proved to be vital to rebuilding it. Though he did spend about the first week there relaxing and trying to find himself, per the request of the ever-thoughtful Satine (she thought the time would be invaluable to him after spending his whole life sworn to the Jedi, so he could figure out what he wanted to do with the rest of it), he quickly got to work. Sitting around and doing nothing was something he'd found he didn't enjoy doing.

With the skills he'd gained as an army general, he formulated a comprehensive plan to capture the leader of Death Watch within the first month he lived on the planet. When he spoke with a small, private committee about the plan, Satine beamed at him. It meant a lot to her that he wanted to help so badly, even though she had never requested it of him. However, she felt quite differently when he insisted he head the mission himself. It led to their first real argument as a couple, but she backed down quickly.

She knew it was silly, that he'd gone head-to-head with threats even more deadly than the terrorist organization that was threatening her planet and had come out relatively unscathed. That didn't fully quench her concern, though. It was different than when they'd first reunited. She'd still been worried for his safety then, but not in the same way. Now, they had their whole future together to lose out on if he fell in battle, and it was a future that she so desperately wanted now that is was actually possible for her to have it.

Of course, the mission was a success and the moment she found out as such she'd let out a breath as if she'd been holding it since he left. The next night when he returned home, she literally dragged him into bed and had her way with him, making sure she showed him how grateful she was and how concerned she had been. He'd taken care of her most major threat, still respecting her pacifist wishes as best as he could while doing so. Now, the leader of the dismantled group was in the highest security cell they had. Some of the remaining members of the group had tried to free him, though most were caught and used to get information on who else refused to accept a now pacifistic Mandalore.

Everything was going swimmingly for Satine upon the arrival of Obi-Wan. For him, however, things didn't feel quite as smoothly. It wasn't that he regretted his decision to leave the Order and the life he'd always known behind, because he certainly didn't. He'd have chosen Satine over and over again as long as she wanted him because he loved her oh so very dearly and was enjoying a life with far fewer restrictions. Yet, he wasn't fully prepared for how emotionally hard such a sudden life change would be.

He was used to having an extraordinarily large amount of things to do. His down time had always been so few and far between, especially since the start of the war, that he didn't really know what to do with it. He was used to working from the time he woke until he went to bed, maybe a few hours of time to meditate here or there during the day. Helping Satine with the struggles on Mandalore typically only occupied a third to half his day, leaving him with more free time than he knew what to do with. It was maddening! In fact, once in a while all the freedom would overwhelm him, causing him to panic and go to Satine for comfort. Luckily for him, she was so understanding and patient with him. She could emphasize with his inner turmoil that was caused by such a drastic change.

The hardest part about leaving Coruscant didn't hit him until he'd been on Mandalore for some time, almost two months in. It hit him one night when Satine wouldn't be home until very late compared to usual. He was lonely, very much so, and though he'd made some friends in his new home, it wasn't the same as talking to Anakin. He'd never been away from Anakin for that long since the boy had been sent to Naboo to guard Padmé before the war had even started.

He tried to communicate with Anakin via holoprojector, but there was no reply. Okay, no big deal. He was rarely in his room at the temple anyway. When he got through to Padmé, she told him Anakin had left for a mission and would likely be gone for quite some time. The two made polite chitchat for only a moment, as the Senator could tell that the former Jedi really wasn't in the mood for such things. He felt bad because he really did care about her as one would care about their younger cousin, but she was no substitute for his best friend.

When Satine returned home that night, she found Obi-Wan already in bed, though he was awake, eyes wide open and staring into nothingness. He swore he didn't want to talk about whatever was obviously upsetting him, and had she been a little less tired she might have pressed the issue. Instead, she crawled into bed beside him, held him in her arms, and whispered comforting words until he fell asleep.

This actually tied into why Obi-Wan was so excited that morning. Satine requested that Padmé visit a few weeks ago, needing assistance setting up safe and reliable trade routes. The Senator agreed, not being able to turn down one someone who had such a noble cause, plus she'd been growing increasingly close to the duchess in the past few months. She would be arriving a little later that morning, and Obi-Wan was very pleased by this. It would be the first time he was anyone from Coruscant since he'd left. Even though it wasn't Anakin who was coming to visit, at least it was someone he'd been relatively close to.

When Padmé finally arrived, Obi-Wan ran up to hug her the moment he saw her, a small smile gracing his face. She hugged him tight, showing him that she, too, missed him. Though they hadn't been the closest of friends, they'd gotten used to seeing each other fairly regularly and both trusted the other with their lives. They were important, permanent fixtures in each other's lives since the start of the war, and neither had really noticed until his departure.

Padmé pulled away from the hug, giving Obi-Wan a melancholy smile. "I'm sorry Anakin couldn't come with me." When Padmé found out she was going to be visiting Mandalore, she went to the Council and requested a Jedi escort. She would have been allowed one since Yoda did have a sort of a soft spot for the Senator, but complications arose on the mission Anakin and Master Windu was on. He was supposed to arrive back at Coruscant several days prior, but there was something about a bounty hunter who had a blood lust for Master Windu. She hadn't heard from him in a few days and wondered when he'd be arriving back on Coruscant.

Obi-Wan gave one of Padmé's shoulders a squeeze, a nonverbal way of letting her know he understood. He knew she'd tried, but there was nothing she could do about the mission going awry. Missions hardly ever went according to plan, especially during a time of war. He just hoped he'd be able to see his friend soon. However, he wasn't going to think about what could have been on that day. It would just have driven him crazy. The day that Padmé arrived was to be dedicated to he and Satine showing her around the city, chatting and relaxing. The business Padmé actually came for could wait until the next day.

* * *

Anakin woke in the Hall of Healing, feeling surprisingly good considering all the damage that had been done to him during his last mission. Getting hit by a heavy explosion, almost getting crushed to death, and getting rescued by a droid of all things. Not that he had any doubt in the droid; it was his treasured R2-D2 after all. He scoffed, remembering Mace Windu's lack of faith in the droid, as well as others comments on how Anakin had grown so attached to it. R2 wasn't just a droid to him; really, he thought of R2 as more of a pet. Not how most people thought of pets, but more like those people who truly loved their pets and thought of them as family and damn near had panic attacks anytime the pet was sick. You know, _those_ kind of people.

How could he not? Not only was the droid a gift from his wife, but if it weren't for that droid he might not have ever met anyone from the Republic, including said wife, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka. He heard great things about R2 when he first boarded Padmé's starship all those years ago, how they might not have made it if it weren't for the droid. He didn't think about that often, but he thought about it enough to recognize that if it weren't for R2, he might still be a slave on Tatooine. Who knows how bad his life could have been if that had happened?

Though Watto had been fairly kind to him and his mother (at least, when he was compared to other slave-owners), chances were that they'd have been lost in some bet eventually. They could have ended up apart from each other anyways. Shmi could have still ended up dead and she could have died a much worse, much more degrading kind of death. Anakin could have very easily ended up being owned by someone much worse than Watto, someone who didn't allow him any spare time, someone who was quicker to punish, someone who owned and ran a brothel, or maybe someone who fit all three of those criteria.

He shuttered, trying to push those thoughts away. He didn't want to think about how terribly his life could turn out if he still lived on Tatooine. His life was much better here, he said to himself, but instantly thought about all the ways in which he still wasn't free. His time was dictated by others, though it was for a much nobler cause. His efforts were still not rewarded, something that was far more salient than usual due to his recent mission with Mace Windu. He wasn't allowed to love, not even his former master nor his apprentice. At least he took comfort in the fact that he could leave the Order any time he wanted without being blown up.

Maybe it was his injury making him even more sulky than usual, but he really didn't want to be in the Order at that moment. He wanted to be on Mandalore, with his wife and his best friend. He missed them both so very much. He hadn't seen Padmé in weeks, and Obi-Wan in months and it was so emotionally painful for him. The fact that Ahsoka, the only one who still resided on the planet that he really would want to and could spend time with, was to be heading out on a mission with Plo Koon only added insult to injury. The Chancellor was there, but he would be far too busy for more than little visits here and there.

He didn't know what he was going to do with himself while he was injured. There were others he liked, like Kit Fisto and Luminara Unduli, but spending extended amounts of time with them for enjoyment was another matter entirely. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so alone, and it wasn't a nice feeling in the least bit. He sighed, and decided to lay back down and sleep. Anything was better than him wallowing in self-pity.

He woke to a voice softly calling to him. His eyes fluttered open, surprised by how dark it was. He'd only intended to sleep for a short time, but the sun was mostly gone meaning he'd been asleep for a few hours at least. His eyes quickly adjusted to the barely-there light, and he saw Ahsoka standing near his bed. Not that he actually needed to see her to know who it was; he could recognize her Force signature anywhere.

"Hey, Snips."

Ahsoka smiled softly at the use of her nickname and the sounds of her master's voice. She'd never admit she'd been worried about him since she'd heard about the explosion. He was lucky to escape with just the injuries he had. "How are you feeling, Master?"

He would have just shrugged in response had it not been for his arm injury. "I'm alright, considering."

She could sense there was more, not just his injury, that was bothering him. She could feel that he was down, too groggy and injured for his mental shields to be up. "Why are you sad?" He was silent, not wanting to have such a conversation with Ahsoka. It wasn't her job, nor her place, for her to be worrying about his emotional well-being. She knew, though, even if he'd never tell her. "You miss Master Kenobi, don't you?"

Well, she knew part of the problem at least. Of course she'd known. She'd seen Kenobi and Skywalker interact more than almost anyone else. She knew how close they were, even though they'd spent the greater part of their time together denying it. She disliked the fact that she was angry at Obi-Wan for deserting Anakin like that. She spoke to Master Yoda about these feelings, only to get another spiel about letting go that wasn't actually helping. Perhaps if there was spare time, she'd talk to Master Plo about it. He was more likely to give her an actual helpful answer.

Anakin stuck to his guns. He wasn't going to talk to her about these sorts of things. "Don't worry about me, Snips. I'll be fine." He heard her huff and knew she would have pressed the issue if she had the time to. He sat up on the bed, giving her a soft smile. "You be careful on this mission."

"Don't worry about me, Skyguy, I'll be fine." She echoed his words back, a teasing grin on her face and she chuckled. The grin faded as she added, "I'm more worried about you." She didn't know why it felt so important that he knew that she worried, and scared, about him, but she was learning more and more that she needed to trust her instinct. At least when lives weren't on the line.

"I've had worse injuries than this. I'll be okay."

She smiled again, shaking her head. "That's not what I meant, Master, and you know it." She looked stoically out the window for a moment, as if deep in thought, before telling Anakin goodbye.

* * *

Padmé had tried, she really had, to help with Mandalore reestablishing trade routes, but the group she and Satine were meeting with were being unreasonable. She tried giving them ideas and advice, tried mediating between the bickering subgroups, and at one point even tried -in the politest way possible- to please shut up and let the grown-ups handle this mess, but to no avail. Sometimes she could understand her husband's frustration with the slow process of democracy, and this was one of those times.

Though things were going much better for Mandalore, with no terrorist act occurring in weeks since the disband of Death Watch, a failure to quickly reestablish safe and legal trade routes could be disastrous. It could lead to an economic collapse, which could lead to a tremendously long list of terrible things to happen, such as riots and economic equality that would take years to recover from. She didn't want to see that happen to Satine. She didn't want Obi-Wan to jump out of one war and into another seemingly never-ending battle on Mandalore. He deserved a reprieve. Unfortunately, it quickly became apparent that he wasn't going to be getting one any time soon.

When Satine returned to him at home that night with Padmé and they told him of all the events that had occurred that day, he felt as if he had to do something. Though Satine had been trying to remove him from her planetary politics, saying that it wasn't his job to take care of Mandalore, she had to agree with him. It had been that day that she'd found out about all the children being poisoned, and time was of the essence.

There were too many time-sensitive things, and though Satine was a skilled and excellent leader, even she was beginning to crack under the pressure. It just broke her heart to have all those innocent children hospitalized and for reasons no one knew of yet. She had no choice but to let her beloved help her. Padmé promised to help them if needed but opted to instead deal with the trade issues so the duchess would be able to fully focus on the main issue at hand. The blonde was grateful for this and thanked her before retiring to her private quarters. She wanted to go to bed early so she could wake early, for in the morning she and Obi-Wan would begin to find out what was going on.


	5. I Am Happiest By Your Side

…I think it will be apparent that I wrote part of this chapter while I wanted wine.  
So I was thinking… most of the action is going to take place between chapters, or off-screen… off-page? Whatever. I'm trying to think of how like romantic war movies and books go, and I think that's how it happens. Cuz like, there's still Mandalore stuff and the Clone Wars going on. That's why this was originally a one-shot so I didn't have to deal with this haha… But it needed to not be a one-shot. There needs to be more Obitine! And I think the "arcs" as I'm calling them are going to be based on Clone Wars episodes and how shit changes because Obi-Wan isn't in the Order anymore…  
Also, I made myself a playlist to listen to while I write this and it fucking occurred to me I should have named this story "Unchained Melody" or some shit cuz that song is PERFECT for Obitine! GAH! Oh well!  
Oh yeah! My dear reviewers y'all are awesome. I love when people give me ideas :D Ideas are always appreciated. They get me through writing ruts, challenge me, and help me grow as a writer!  
Anyways! Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

The duchess of Mandalore and her sweetheart were happy to finally go home and be in their private quarters after a rather difficult and trying few days. It was nice to be able to finally relax, even if it was just going to be for that night. After much searching, they found how the children had been poisoned, what type of poison it was exactly, and the antidote had been ordered and was on its way. For this, the couple was grateful for their greatest concern had been the lives of the children and the other people of Mandalore. However, they still didn't know why it had happened or who had been the ones to ultimately pull the strings to cause it to happen.

But that was a problem that was to be dealt with tomorrow. Tonight, they were going to enjoy their victory. Tonight, for the first time in days, they were going to be able to properly prepare for bed and then enjoy a full night's rest instead of just having a hasty shower and a measly few hours of sleep. A bath and a full eight hours of sleep were luxuries that neither of them took for granted, as it had been the norm as a Jedi when sent on missions of various sorts and it wasn't all that rare of an occurrence when trying to rebuild a planet's government.

When Satine sunk into her oversized bathtub, bubbles covering her chest and a wine glass in her hand, she let out a content sigh. The sudsy water was pleasantly warm and smelled indistinctly of some floral scent and she was absolutely delighted by it. She was even more delighted when an Obi-Wan Kenobi placed the wine bottle she'd opened next to the tub and climbed in next to her. One of his hands also held a glass of wine, and the other slide across her shoulders to pull her close.

He didn't want to deny his desire for her but he felt that he should. They were both far too tired to give each other the proper attention they deserved, and he'd learned a long time ago that lovemaking in the 'fresher didn't nearly live up to the hype. Besides, it would still be nice to just enjoy the other's company after a harrowing couple of days that were sure to be followed by more.

He laid a gentle kiss on her cheek before swirling the rosé wine around in his glass, willing it to breathe before he would start to drink it. He wanted to properly enjoy this quiet evening with Satine, and that included making sure the wine was properly aerated. She sipped at her own glad of wine and leaned into him, enjoying the feeling of his bare skin against hers.

"You've been a really great help, Obi." She looked up at him, her eyes gleaming with happiness. She hadn't really expected him to want to help her with Mandalore so quickly after leaving the Order and she wouldn't have blamed him. He'd spent all that time in the war, all that time not being able to make decisions for himself, so she would have understood if he wanted to take some time to stagnate and enjoy his new freedoms. Yet, he didn't want to. Helping people was something he enjoyed doing of his own volition. It was something she'd always suspected but now that it was confirmed, she loved him even more.

He smiled back at her, absentmindedly rubbing her shoulder and arm where his hand was resting. "I'm sure you could have easily solved this problem on your own. I just expedited the process a bit." He finally began drinking his wine, deeming that it had been out long enough. He was pleased with the light, fruity taste.

Satine realized how tired Obi-Wan must have been with that last statement, as he typically would have given some sort of teasing or spirited response. She wasn't surprised, as they'd been up since the break of dawn and now the sun was already setting. She decided she didn't want to discuss the events of the day at this time; instead, she wanted to talk about what they could do when things had finally calmed down.

"When everything is sorted out here, we should go away for a short while."

"Oh?" This piqued his interest. Going away with Satine sounded wonderful and he had an inkling of where she was going with this. He didn't want to assume, though, so he asked, "What did you have in mind?"

"I've never been to Naboo and Padmé always speaks so highly of it." She took a drink of her wine, finishing off the glass and then poured herself a new one while she continued to talk. "It sounds quite lovely. Yesterday she said it would be nice for the four of us to stay at her house in the Lake Country there."

"The four of us?" Obi-Wan echoed, quite liking the idea of them vacationing with both Anakin and Padmé. However, the idea worried him in a way. "Wouldn't it appear more suspicious if they were seen wandering around with another couple?" He couldn't deny that a part of him still respected the Code and was bothered by his former Padawan maintaining a relationship while in the Order, a much larger part of him worried about his friend getting caught before he ready to confess to the Council. He knew it would only be a matter of time before he left the Order, but he wanted Anakin to have the satisfaction of leaving on his own terms.

Satine thought a moment before answering. "Possibly, or the public could assume that I was visiting Padmé and she brought Anakin along to keep you company while we talk about politics since most of the public doesn't know how close you two actually are. That's a problem to worry about later, though, when we're actually planning the trip."

She set her glass on the edge of the tub and pulled away from his embrace to look at him, an optimistic glint in her eye. With everything that had been going on, they hadn't really had time to talk about much other than the planetary turmoil. They had no time to talk about romantic getaways, their future, or even an actual planned date for that matter. Even though they didn't have much time to relax together before going to bed, she wanted to try to make up for the lost time during their short reprieve.

"Did you have any other ideas of where you'd like to go on a trip?" she prompted, wondering if he had any places he'd like to go. He was quiet a moment, drinking his wine as he thought. He rattled off a few places he'd been that he'd like to see once again and ones he'd never been to but had considered visiting if he'd had anyone to go with, like Felucia, the Forest Moon of Endor, Dantooine, and Alderaan.

"However, I wouldn't mind seeing Naboo again," Obi-Wan concluded before finishing off his own glass of wine and getting another. He thought it would be enjoyable to visit that planet for fun for once instead of being there for Jedi business of some sort. It would be especially enjoyable to finally see the Lake Country he'd heard so much about from both Anakin and Padmé. "When this whole ordeal is over, I shall see if Anakin knows when he'll be able to go on a Meditation Retreat."

Satine placed her hand that had been submerged in the tub on his cheek, beaming at him. "I'd like that." She gave him a brief kiss, the taste of the wine lingering on his lips. When they pulled away mere moments later, he could see pure adoration in her eyes. It really didn't take much to make Satine, or either of them really, happy. Simple things, a kiss here and there, a small thoughtful gift, just talking and enjoying the other's company was enough to keep her content.

Perhaps that was why she never stopped loving him despite all those years they'd been apart. During that time, she had tried to see other men and those most of those relationships with them had been pleasant, none of them really made her happy. None of them really understood how to. Grand romantic gestures and extravagant gifts were nice but they meant very little to her without any thought put behind them.

There were other things that left her not completely fulfilled in her past relationships. No one challenged her the way Kenobi had. Most of the men she'd dated would back down if a dispute or a debate were about to begin, acquiescing to appease her. Obi rarely had ever done that, only giving in on days that had been too rough or too long. Most of the time he would question her, argue back, keep her on her toes, and make her evaluate if her views really were that great or if they needed to change. He was an intellectual equal who wasn't afraid to let her know it and she wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

Before she knew it she was kissing him again, both of her hands cupping his face this time. His soft beard was surprisingly pleasant against her hands. He abandoned his wine on the rim of the tub and pulled her closer to him, their naked, wet chests pressed against the other's. He knew he needed to pull away, that they didn't have the time to really enjoy themselves and neither were particularly fond of quickies. He forced himself to pull away, telling his partner as such.

It was sweet, really, how attentive and giving of a lover he was. At least, Satine thought so. She moved so she was straddling his thighs. She leaned over to his earlobe, nibbling on it briefly, before whispering hotly into his ear, "If doesn't always have to end with, intercourse, you know." With that, one of her hands trailed down his chest and grasped his growing arousal. She began to stroke him in a manner she knew he enjoyed. He gasped as if he still wasn't used to her touch or maybe he was just surprised.

She was always so proper, as was he. She always carried an air of elegance, even all those years ago when they were so much younger and almost constantly on the run. He loved how he could bring out a completely different side of her when they were alone, without him doing much of anything. The passion she had was nothing new, just aimed at a different cause, but there was something almost animalistic about her whenever they were intimate. She trusted him completely and it really showed in these instances. He wondered if she'd ever acted in this particular manner around her past lovers, and somehow he knew she hadn't.

His hands ghosted over her skin, touching her face, arms, and shoulders before settling on her breasts. A soft moan escaped her lips as he ran a thumb over one of her nipples, adding to his growing arousal. He loved making her feel good, maybe even more than he loved how she made him feel. Even now, with his head swimming from the almost overwhelming sensations she was giving him, his favorite thing was that she was biting her lip in response to his roaming hands, one staying on her breast and the other deciding to reciprocate what she was doing to him.

"I love you, Obi," she mumbled in between sighs of pleasure. Her grip on him tightened, the pace of the pumping increasing. She knew he was close; there was a glassy look in his eyes and he was getting louder.

"I love you too, Satine," he murmured back, the hand that wasn't currently preoccupied pulling her head closer for a quick kiss. Though the kiss had ended, their faces were still against each others. She could feel his warm breath on her face as he huffed, his chest heaving. "I love you so much…" He kissed her again, their tongues dancing against the others. He emitted a low groan into her mouth as he came, his heart racing and the movements of his hands stopped as he allowed himself to just enjoy the sensation.

His breathing began to steady as he came down from the high and she removed her hand from his now overly sensitive member. She shifted, leaning back slightly and smiling at him, proud of her handiwork. His eyes fluttered open and she could see that he was satisfied as he gazed upon her. She squeaked in surprise as he grabbed her hips and moved her out of the water. He sat her on the edge of the tub against the wall and her breath hitched in her throat when she realized what he was going for.

Her eyes squeezed shut and she moaned as his head settled between her legs, nipping gently at the lips before tentatively stroking her clit with his tongue. Her hands fisted into his hair and she softly ground into him. She adored it when he did this and fortunately for her he enjoyed doing it. His enthusiasm made it all the more enjoyable, all the more erotic, and all the more arousing to watch.

She arched closer to his stimulation, her grinding a little less gently this time as she was desperate for her release. He smirked against her, using his hands to hold her hips. Though they didn't have enough time for a proper romp, he did have enough time to tease her a little. His lips abandoned her moistness, laying kissed and nibbles upon her trembling thighs instead.

She grumbled his named irritably, trying to coax him back to his previous position. This sexual torment wasn't fair and she made note of it. She knew he wasn't going to return to his proper spot between her legs until he was good and ready to and she'd have to get him back at a later time. Considering he was trailing kisses up her thighs and getting unbearably close but never actually returning to her clit, she was going to have to get him back good. He would regret this later.

His name escaped her lips again, though this time in the form of a whimper. She was so close, for Force's sake! It wouldn't take that much more time at all to send her over the edge! He could sense her frustration, though, and it was only egging him on. She tried taking matters into her own hands, only for him to grab both of them with one of his.

"Are you really that desperate, Satine?" he taunted as he looked up at her, a mischievous smirk on his face. For a brief moment, she wanted to slap him. She couldn't believe he found this _funny_ and she once again mentally swore her revenge. It wouldn't be the next time they fooled around that she'd enact it, but later when he would no longer suspect it.

It was then he decided, _finally_ , that she'd had enough. He released her hands and returned between her legs, giving her a slow, tantalizing lick. It took everything in her not to scream at the sudden overpowering pleasure. She didn't last too much longer after that, only a minute or two, and she came with his name spewing repeatedly from her lips, her knuckles white as she fisted his hair.

A smug look was on his face as he pulled away and looked up at her. He lowered her back into the tub, the water barely warm now. He rinsed off his mouth beard in courtesy before he pulled her into his lap once again and nuzzled her cheek. She leaned up to kiss his forehead, her previous anger forgotten for the time being.

"I love you, Satine." He embraced her, settling her face into the crook of his neck as he held her close. He could have stayed like that forever, except they'd been in the water so long already his fingers were starting to prune and their bed was exponentially more comfortable.

She pulled away, pulling the plug to drain the water but remaining on his lap. They really needed to get to bed, especially since she knew when she came down from her orgasmic high she was going to be completely and utterly exhausted. She gave him a peck on the tip of his nose before responding, "I love you too, Obi. We need to head to bed, though, my love."

He nodded, letting out a discontented sigh as she got off his lap and out of the tub. She wrapped herself in a towel and headed to the dual sinks, glancing back at him expectantly. He followed, toweling off quickly before he joined her in quiet solidarity as they brushed their teeth. As silly as it sounded, he really enjoyed the mundane things they did together such as that. The simple things that he'd been previously denied seemed to bring him the most joy.

Eventually, they were finished in the bathroom and both abandoned their towels and curled up next to each other in bed. He laid on his back, one arm curled around his sweetheart. Her head was laying on his chest, the steady thump of his heartbeat lulling her to sleep quickly. Of all the simple pleasures he had experienced since leaving the Order, he had to admit that falling asleep in the same bed as his beloved was his favorite.

* * *

With the beginnings of safe and legal trade routes being established on Mandalore and the insistence from both Satine and Obi-Wan that they didn't require her assistance any further, Padmé headed back to Coruscant. Anakin was elated when he heard she would be home that night, especially since his injuries, though they were healing at an extremely rapid pace due to his abnormally high midi-chlorian count, prevented him from doing much of anything. Even so, he was still healthy enough to leave the Temple and had left as soon as he was approved to do so.

When Padmé finally arrived on Coruscant after her long trip home, she was surprised to see a few of her most trusted political friends and allies waiting for her. While she was gone, there started to become talks about creating more Clones, despite all the debt the Republic was already in and despite the fact that it seemed as if the war wasn't really going anywhere. The Senators wanted to preemptively shut this down before the talks could become more serious. They whisked her away to a private dinner meeting to discuss it and she couldn't come up with a good enough reason go get out of it. She very well couldn't tell them she needed to get home to her Jedi husband.

It was many hours later when she got to head home and things looked worrisome on the war front, but that wasn't really out of the ordinary for her anymore. What was out of the ordinary was that Anakin hadn't greeted her at the door like he always did. It actually appeared as if her as if her apartment was empty and she would have been suspicious if it hadn't been for the fact that security was directly outside her front door. She stopped into the bathroom, getting ready for bed as rapidly as possible and then heading to the bedroom.

She smiled when she saw Anakin's sleeping for on their bed, streaks of light from the window illuminating parts of his face and chest. He must have snuck in hours ago without her guards knowing and later fell asleep while waiting for her to get home. She pulled back the covers and laid on the bed next to him, gingerly kissing him on the lips after she'd gotten comfortable.

His eyes opened slightly, a happy yet sleepy expression on his face as it registered who it was next to him. He murmured her name then pulled her closer to him, muttering that he loved and missed her before he quickly drifted back to sleep. She laced her arms around his, being careful as soon as she noticed bandages on one of them for she had no idea how sensitive or damaged it was. She fell asleep not long after her head hit the pillow, forgetting about the stress of the war and the situation on Mandalore and instead focusing on how content she was to finally be back in her husband's arms once again.

* * *

Once again, Obi-Wan rose with the sun and was surprised to see that his sweetheart still asleep next to him. Sometime in the night, she had curled away from him, rolling over onto her back and out of his arms. He didn't want to wake her, wanted to allow her to sleep in and relax for a bit before starting in on what was sure to be another difficult day. Alas, he knew he couldn't; she'd be very cross with him and he couldn't really blame her considering they needed to further their investigation to see who poisoned the poor, innocent children.

He rolled over on his side to face her, deciding that if he _had_ to get her up he was at least going to wake her up in one of the most pleasant ways possible. He pushed the hair out of her face, stroked her cheek with his finger, and kissed her forehead.

"It's time to wake up, Darling," he whispered in her ear before kissing her cheek and she began to stir. She opened her eyes lazily and was surprised that Obi-Wan appeared to be fairly awake. The past few days, she'd been the one who was waking up early and the one waking him up with sweet kisses on the cheek.

"Good morning, Dear," she murmured sleepily as she smiled up at him. She leaned up to give him a good-morning kiss before returning her head to her pillow. She longed for a time when of peace, where they could just lay in bed all day or at least until a time when most people woke up. That would likely not happen for quite some time, probably when they went on vacation, if they ever got to actually go on a vacation.

"Good morning, Satine. Are you alright?" He could sense her frustration and felt that it didn't completely have to do with the events that were currently transpiring. She shook her head in response, not really wanting to dwell on the things she wished they could have done instead of having to deal with this Mandalorian mess. She was grateful just to have him with her, thankful that they were able to fall asleep and wake up next to each other.

Besides, she didn't have time to focus on those sorts of things, not now anyways. That day they had far too many things to worry about. The whole day was spent searching for clues as to who caused the children to be poisoned and it was rather frustrating. Most of the day came up empty except for two leads, both of which ended up with a dead end. They returned home much later than they had the previous day and with much damper spirits. Whoever had don't this had hidden their tracks well, so well that even Kenobi -despite all of his experience and powers with the Force- was beginning to wonder if they were going to need some outside assistance.

Satine had already come to this conclusion, fearful that the person might be someone on the inside and that's how they were always one step ahead. However, it would have to be kept secret from almost everyone why the person who was helping was being called in. It would have to be someone who wouldn't rouse any sort of suspicion, someone who would want to come to the planet for a leisurely visit, someone who could say they were visiting a friend. Perhaps it was time for Anakin to come pay them a visit.


	6. I Am Thankful For You

I wanted to have this out two days ago... I'm the worst gah. It's shorter than I wanted but it conveys everything I wanted to happen in this chapter. Next chapter is another little time jump. I'm actually pretty excited to write the next little arc I have vaguely planned!

...I just realized I planned on there being more Korkie in this chapter. Dammit. Oh well, it's done and edited.

Oh yeah, Matthias8706... I responded to you in the messages thing but idk if you've seen it? Anyways I'd like to address to everyone reading to not worry because Satine will not die. This story is spawned from me wanted Satine to not die and just wanting mostly happiness... Maybe a little angst, but Satine, Obi-Wan, Anakin, Padme, and Ahsoka will NOT die.

Anyways! As always, reviews are very much appreciated and I love everyone's constructive criticisms and ideas! Enjoy,read, and review!

* * *

There was a warm feeling in Obi-Wan's chest as Anakin descended the ramp of his recently landed ship. It had been weeks since he and Satine requested that the Knight visit, months since they had last seen each other, and hours since he'd woken up that morning filled with excitement. He dearly missed his best friend. Though they'd kept in touch as frequently as possible by talking over HoloProjector and also through use of their Force-bond, it wasn't the same as being in physical proximity to each other.

Obi-Wan went to greet his former Padawan, practically running to him but not actually doing to in order to keep an air of professionality around the other people of Mandalore. They hugged, lingering slightly while they spoke casual greetings of "Hello!" and "It's so good to see you!" Neither dared to verbalize how much they had missed the other, not with so many other people around, but the sentiment was felt through their Force-bond.

The young Padawan of Anakin's descended the ramp as well, hanging back as she didn't want to interrupt the moment. She knew very well how much her Master missed the former Jedi, even though he tried to hide it from her. Though he was becoming rather skilled at masking his emotions they would still seep through at times, such as when he was tired or weary from battle. She could also emphasize with how he must have felt, even though she'd likely never admit that to anyone but herself. She knew if she were separated from her own Master for an extended period of time she would miss him as well.

Instead of treading on the moment, Ahsoka went to formally introduce herself to the woman that was so wonderful that the once rule-loving and code-enforcing Obi-Wan Kenobi left the Jedi Order for her. A part of her was excited to get to know the Duchess for she had to be very special to cause such a thing to happen. She was pretty, that much was obvious, and she had an air of elegance about her. When the two females actually spoke, Ahsoka noted that she was also very polite, though she hadn't really expected otherwise. She was dating Kenobi, after all, and seemed to be well loved by her people. Of course, she had to be well-mannered.

She didn't have more time to analyze Satine as she was pulled into a rather unexpected hug by Obi-Wan and she couldn't hide the weirded out expression on her face as it happened. Obi-Wan hugging Anakin was one thing, even though she'd personally never witness such a thing happening before, because of the extreme closeness the two shared. However, him hugging _her_ was something she'd never expected to happen in perhaps her whole life. He certainly had never been that affectionate before. It caused her to wonder how much he had changed since his resignation from the Order.

As the day went on and Anakin and Obi-Wan easily fell back into their familiar banter, Ahsoka had decided that it seemed that the ginger wasn't really all that different. He was still the same sarcastic sass-master he'd always been. He was still wise beyond his years. He was still a stickler for the rules, albeit a different set of them. The difference was he wasn't as restricted in his own emotions and would let little snippets of feelings and affections come out every so often. He laughed a little easier, smiled a little more often, and would grab his beloved's hand when they weren't in the eyes of the public; she was relieved that despite these surprising difference that he was very much the same Obi-Wan.

It became very quickly became apparent to Ahsoka why Obi-Wan loved Satine so much. She was very kind and truly cared about her people. She was a hardcore pacifist but not without reason. She, like her sweetheart, was both patient and wise beyond her years. It seemed as if a more perfect person couldn't have been dreamed up for the Great Negotiator, and though the young togruta knew that the duchess must have some faults it was likely they would always pale in comparison to how compatible the couple was. Now that she was getting to know Satine, she understood why Obi-Wan made his decision and while she still didn't completely agree with it, she decided she would still be happy for him.

By the time Ahsoka had decided this the sun was setting and the people who worked for Satine had gone home for the day. This left her, Obi-Wan, Satine, and Anakin alone in the very secure privacy of the couple's sitting room, which they were thankful for. There was much to discuss about that visit that they hadn't wanted to address over HoloProjector due to the suspicion that someone would find out the plans. Other than the four in the room, the only one who knew the real intent of the visit were Padmé and Yoda.

"Alright," Anakin said as soon as the last worker left for the night, leaning closer to the group as if someone might still be listening. "So, why exactly are we needed here and what's the plan?"

They talked about everything pertaining the issues at hand for hours. They discussed at detail the poisoning of the children, what information they had found out, and how every time they seemed to have a lead they would come up empty. They talked about their concern and suspicion that the culprit was someone on inside, someone who was abusing their position of power. They discussed their ideas on how they could get more information, as well as how it could be done without giving away their ruse. After all, the perpetrator couldn't know the true nature of the visit. They'd even gone as far as publically announcing that the investigation was being turned over to a team of investigators, all of whom were under the impression they were the only ones working on this case. It would be highly unlikely that whoever they were looking for would see through all this, but they still couldn't be sure.

When the discussion was over, the group as a whole decided it was time to head to bed. Anakin was eager to sleep as he knew Obi-Wan would expect him up early the next morning. Ahsoka tried to hide the fact that she was excited to have her own private 'fresher in her guest room as well as a nice cushy bed to sleep on, but everyone knew. It reminded Satine of how overwhelmed Obi-Wan became the for first few days after he'd arrived and it was dawning on him that all of this was also his. He'd been living the life of a Jedi with no possessions, showers that were either communal or tiny, their beds small and hard, and their living quarters rather bare. Her home, now their home, was quite the opposite, nicely furnished, several guest rooms with their own private refreshers, and their own room sporting an oversized plush bed and a bathroom fit for a king- or a duchess and her boyfriend.

 _Boyfriend…_ It was technically what he was to her but it never sounded like the right label. It didn't feel like it carried the sort of depth their relationship had. When she heard that word, she thought more of the men of her past whom she'd only been with a relatively short amount of time and she was never really that serious about, at least when compared to how she felt for Obi-Wan. Though they had officially only been together a few months, she still loved him more than she had ever had anyone else.

How could she not? He was absolutely wonderful. He'd come to her rescue time and time again, yet still saw her as competent. He challenged her, supported her, respected her, and did so many other wonderful things. He'd saved so many lives other than hers and helped a countless amount of people. He even rid her planet of a rapidly growing dangerous and deadly terrorist organization in the short time he'd lived with her on Mandalore. So, boyfriend obviously wasn't the right title for him. She knew he wasn't ready to be her fiancé, not yet, so she couldn't think of him as that. Mostly, she would just think of him as her Love. Is was the only thing that seemed to fit.

"Did you have a good day, Dear?" Satine asked as the couple laid in bed, her head once again resting on his chest and one of her arms curled around his waist.

Obi-Wan smiled despite the fact that it would be too dark for her to see him. "Today was wonderful, Darling. I'm grateful you figured out a reason to get the Council to allow them to come here." He paused a moment before remembering that the two Jedi were actually there to help them figure out who had been poisoning _children_ , his fatigue causing him to be uncharacteristically uncouth. "I wish it were under more pleasant circumstances, of course."

"I knew what you meant, Obi." She laid a kiss upon his cheek, deciding to be merciful because she, too, was extremely tired. She longed for a day where they could go to bed when they were merely sleepy instead of exhausted. She knew that day would be soon. "I know how much you missed Anakin, but I didn't bring him here just for you. You…" Her speech was interrupted by a yawn that she tried to stifle. "…You speak very highly of both he and his apprentice and I'm confident with their help we'll be able to get to the bottom of things."

He nuzzled her hair before planting a kiss on her forehead. "I'm thankful that you have so much faith in us, but right now it sounds like you need to go to sleep. Goodnight, Satine. I love you."

There was no point in raising an objection as she once again yawned. She wished him a good night and told him that she loved him as well. Within minutes, the beating of his heart soothed her to sleep. He fell asleep soon after, content to have the love of his life in his arms and his best friend in the next room.\

* * *

Padmé didn't really like to think about all the normal things she missed out on because her husband was a Jedi. She didn't think about how they couldn't go out to a nice dinner; she could just have the food brought to them and have an intimate dinner at home anyways. She didn't think about how there weren't many people who were even allowed to know the pair were together; she was just grateful that her staff, who had to of caught on by now, didn't spill to the tabloids, and Obi-Wan knowing helped ease these feelings as well. She didn't really think about how little of time they got to spend together compared to other couples; it just made the time they did have together even more special.

Just because she didn't try to think about these things and didn't like thinking about them didn't mean that sometimes they crept into her mind from time to time and refused to leave. Her solo trip to Mandalore, a trip she felt would have been better if Anakin had come along, might have been something she could ignore if he weren't currently on his own trip to the same planet. It wasn't that she blamed him for going weeks after she had. It wasn't like that was what Satine and Obi-Wan had intended to happen; they just needed assistance from a Jedi, and what better Jedi to assist them than her beloved Anakin?

It was just painful at times that there were so many things they couldn't do together that she wanted, and this was only made worse by the war. Her down time and his meditation retreats would have coincided a lot more often if they weren't trying to end the Clone Wars on their own respective fronts. She knew he was due for a Retreat in the near future, but with prepositions of more Clone units being created, she felt it would be unlikely they'd be able to go away together.

The creation of more Clones would only lengthen the war, which she desperately wanted over for a multitude of reasons. Some of these reasons were political and logical. The Republic was running out of funds and about to go into a debt that they might never be able to get out of and there hadn't been a proper election for a new Chancellor because the political efforts were better spent on the war. Some of these reasons were more altruistic. There were so much death and destruction on all sides. She knew many cases the Jedi would have taken weren't even acknowledged because they were too busy with battles. Yet other reasons she wanted the war to end were selfish. Anakin would have had more vacation time, had more time to spend on Coruscant, and she would have spent far less time worrying about him not returning home to her

She wasn't as concerned about him now that he was on Mandalore because she knew he was in good hands with both Obi-Wan and Ahsoka by his side. It was also unlikely that whoever was behind the attack on children had a specific vendetta against the Jedi, unlike the Separatist armies and Sith he normally fought. If there was anyone she was concerned about, it would be Satine, but since it was likely that Obi-Wan wouldn't leave her side until the threat was detected there wasn't much to worry about.

Sometimes, though, she felt it was easier when she worried. If she was worrying she wouldn't have time to focus on how alone she felt. She wouldn't have times of weakness where she contemplated actually asking Anakin to leave the Order for her; no, that was something she wanted him to do of his own accord with no prompting from her even though she knew he wasn't happy there. She knew it was important, considering his past and talks they'd had since Obi-Wan left the Order, that he felt as if he were the one in charge of his own life. Until he decided it was time to leave, she would just have to deal with her loneliness on her own.

* * *

Inviting the two Jedi to Mandalore under the guise of a friendly visit had been _exactly_ the right thing to do to find out who had given the go-ahead to poison the school children on the planet. The plan didn't go exactly as the four had expected, but they were at least fortunate that the perpetrator really hadn't been suspicious of the Jedi visiting. He really fell for the idea that the duo was merely visiting to see Obi-Wan Kenobi.

The next morning, Ahsoka left to teach a class at the Royal Academy of Government, as that was what they were labeling the excuse to why the young Padawan was dragged along. In truth, there were other reasons Satine also asked Ahsoka to teach the class. She felt the students would connect better to someone their own age and the fact that Korkie -her precious nephew and the heir to Mandalore should she and Kenobi decide not to have children- would be one of the students. Ahsoka was grateful both the opportunity to teach and for a chance to help out on the kinds of missions she'd have been going on had it not been for the war.

The class she taught was bright, perceptive, and more ready to absorb her ideas than anyone had anticipated. She said one little thing about challenging your leaders and keeping them in check, not expecting that small remark to push the students into action, and the next day she came to find out that Korkie and some of his friends had decided to sneak into a secure government base. She tried to denigrate them for these activities, as it was a rather drastic first course of action especially for those with very little stealth and fighting skills, but it was difficult to do so as it had seemed they found a promising lead.

Though Satine was calm and told the children to stay out of it, as it really wasn't their place to deal with such matters yet and it was likely they didn't realize just how dangerous the situation could be, when she was alone with Obi-Wan she was anything but. She couldn't handle the thought of Korkie getting caught up in the mess and winding up dead. She was strong and had already endured many hardships in her life but the thought of losing her closest family member was unbearable.

The child Cadets refused to stop meddling and the assailant became rather sloppy. He didn't see them as a threat; he didn't even see Ahsoka as a threat. His arrogance and the incorrect assessment lead to his downfall. When he and his team abducted the students, he didn't expect that Ahsoka would be able to call for backup to easily. He didn't expect that within moments of the call he'd have three lightsaber-wielders to deal with and all of his plans would be foiled. He certainly didn't expect everything to unravel so quickly at the hands of the former Jedi he was certain he'd had fooled and to be interrogated by Satine for his treasonous crimes a mere hour later.

Satine had begun to suspect Prime Minister Almec of the crimes; she suspected he was cunning enough to do such a thing and she'd suspected the kind man he'd once been had vanished. She just had never had enough evidence to prove such things until that night. Now that she knew for a fact what type of man he now was, the kind that would threaten, hurt, and kill children, it sickened her. She wondered what would have happened to those Cadets, to Korkie, had Ahsoka not been around or if Obi-Wan and Anakin had arrived just a little later. It broke her heart to know he'd done those things, as well as other crimes they hadn't even begin to suspect him of.

Satine, Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, and Anakin returned to the couple's home at an unreasonable hour, in that awkward time that could be considered either night or morning depending on who you asked. A very thorough investigation was well underway to find out the extent of what Almec had done. With the information already collected by the Cadets and Ahsoka, as well as what he admitted to Satine during her interrogation of him, there was more than enough information to put him away or life. The investigation was more of a formality, as well as to try to see what long-terms effects his scheme could have.

Without discussion, the four decided to head to their respective beds. They were all tired past the point of comprehension and anything they needed to say could be brought up in the morning. Ahsoka and Anakin fell asleep almost as soon as their heads hit their pillows, but sadly the same couldn't be said for Satine. As she laid down with Obi-Wan in their routine sleeping position she became wide-awake, the events that had happened the past few weeks finally hitting her all at once. Now that she didn't need to be strong anymore, it seemed as if she couldn't hold back any longer even though she tried.

A cry escaped her lips, which she immediately tried to stifle with her hand. She didn't want to deal with the overwhelming emotions then, not when she was so tired and her beloved was trying to sleep. She silently prayed he didn't hear her or at least wouldn't acknowledge it. A moment later she was relieved when he didn't say anything but instead pulled her closer to him and delicately rubbed her back.

He knew full well she didn't want to talk, as she would have verbalized such things had she needed to. He sensed she wasn't ready to talk and that -since she was just to physically, mentally, and emotionally drained at that moment- she might not even be able to talk even though she wanted to. Still, he couldn't deny his urge to comfort her. He laid a kiss upon her forehead and tried his best to use the Force to comfort her in his sleep state. He was surprised a moment later when she spoke.

"Thank you…" she managed to say between sobs. She buried her head in the crook of his neck and hoped she wouldn't need to explain why she was thanking him. She didn't know how long the crisis could have been drawn out without his help. She didn't know how she would have handled actually losing Korkie to that monster. All she knew is she was once again eternally grateful to have her great Jedi protector by her side, even if he wasn't technically a Jedi anymore. He would still always be her knight in shining armor.


End file.
